SRINAGAR: Director Horticulture, Aijaz Ahmad Dar on Friday directs it’s all chief horticulture officers to initiate immediate visit to hailstorm affected areas of South and North Kashmir to access the loss.
The Horticulture department also issued advisories to Orchardists after hailstorms wreaked havoc in many areas of North and South.
Dir Horticulture Aijaz Ah Dar said that I have already directed my CHOs to conduct immediate visits to affected areas, and access the loss.
My officers are collecting the details of damage and will submit the damage report to Divisional commissioner Kashmir, he said.
We have also issued advisory to orchardists related to post hailstorm sprays.
The orchards should made sprays of fungicides (per 100 lit. of water)
In this connection, Zineb 68% + Hexaconazole 4% 72 WP (100 g) or Metiram 55% + Pyraclostrobin 5% 60 WG (100 g) or Mancozeb 75 WP (300g) or Zineb 75 WP (300 g) can be used.
In addition to the above, the orchards may be sprayed with Urea @ 0.2% (200 g per 100 lit. of water) 3 days after the above spray.
The advisory further said, that maintain proper orchard sanitation and remove fallen fruit/leaves from the orchard Ensure drainage of excess water and staking of heavy fruit bearing branches to avert
uprooting of trees due to excess soil moisture.
As per initial reports, the hailstorm has been reported in many areas of South and North Kashmir, including Chawan, Zampathri, Pehlipora, Muqami Donaro villages of Keller Zone of Shopian. Field staff has been geared up to take stock of situation. Details to follow.
Hailstorm (lightly) occurred at village Devsar, Akhal and village Brinal Lammer of district Kulgam
As per reports hailstorms occurred in Villages of Abhama, Bagender, Sangerwani and Khaiegam in Shadimarg Zone of Pulwama District.
A light hailstorm occurred at Devsar, Churat and Lammad yesterday in district Kulgam. Reportedly no damages have taken place in orchards due to this hailstorm as of now.
CHO Handwara visited various orchards affected by hail storms along with DDC Mawer. Damage is upto 25%, says official and no hailstorm reports from district Baramulla and Ganderbal areas.

KR Desk