Hail pounds apple belt again

Three anti-hail guns,part of a Rs 27-cr pilot project ,could protect only those areas where they were installed. One gun covers between 80 and 100 hectares

Fresh stocks of Himachal apples are set to hit the markets next month,but they may spoil the taste of many buyers as more than half of the fruit crops,including cherries,peaches and green almonds,have already been damaged by unfavourable weather conditions.

The worst disappointment to apple growers has come from unprecedented spells of hail storms,which took a heavy toll on the crop,wiping out up to 100 per cent in some belts of Shimla,Mandi,Sirmaur,Chamba and Kullu districts.

The loss,though yet to be surveyed in detail,is estimated to be around Rs 500 crore,says horticulture minister Narinder Bragta,an orchardist himself

This was despite the state governments first-of-its kind initiative in the country to install three anti-hail guns,based on US technology,to protect fruits from natural calamities. The anti-hail guns are part of a Rs 27-crore pilot project.

The guns help in dispersing hail clouds over an area between 80 and 100 hectares. Only those panchayats farms remained safe where the guns were installed.

State Principal Secretary Horticulture V C Pharka said: Frequent changes in climatic conditions,hail and wind-storms during April-June have hit the seasons fruits. The produce will be less than half that was marketed last year.

Last year,the apple crop had surpassed all earlier records of production. It was a challenge to the growers to handle the produce and about 25 to 30 per cent of which could not reach the market due to heavy rains,road blocks and landslide. The rotten apples were eventually dumped downhill,or were partially bought by government agencies to make organic manure.

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Vidya Stokes,a veteran Congress leader whose family pioneered Himachals apple revolution,said: This years losses due to hail are colossal. The government should compensate the growers. She also shares the concern on frequent weather changes. Its not a healthy trend if we look at future of the apples.

Bragta says: I have requested Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal to take up the issue with the Centre to include hailstorm in the list of natural calamities. I also proposed to meet Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in this regard.