KCCI Raises Alarm Over Devastating Losses to Kashmir’s Fruit Industry
Srinagar 20 April 2025: In the wake of severe weather events and flash floods in the Ramban district, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has expressed profound concern regarding the catastrophic damage inflicted on Kashmir’s fruit growers. These weather phenomena, including hailstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, and powerful winds, have devastated orchards across multiple districts, crippling one of the Valley’s most vital sectors—the fruit industry, often referred to as the backbone of Kashmir’s economy.
Fruit Growers Grapple with Unprecedented Losses
As per reports, the districts of Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Budgam, and Pulwama have witnessed extensive damage, with orchards blanketed in ice and crops rendered unsalvageable. The devastation is multifaceted, impacting not only the livelihoods of orchard owners but also triggering economic ripples across the horticulture sector.
Nature’s Fury: A Crisis in Numbers
- Weather Impact: Intense hailstorms shredded fruit blossoms, thunderstorms uprooted trees, and heavy rains eroded farm soil, leaving orchards in ruins.
- Economic Fallout: The financial losses incurred are estimated to run into crores, affecting dealers, transporters, and dependent laborers in addition to farmers.
Fruit growers, particularly those with small and marginal holdings, are struggling to recover from these setbacks, with many lamenting the lack of safety nets such as crop insurance.
KCCI’s Longstanding Advocacy for Crop Insurance
The KCCI has consistently underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive crop insurance scheme to safeguard Kashmir’s agricultural sector from recurring natural disasters. Despite submitting detailed proposals and engaging in dialogues with policymakers, the region’s growers remain unprotected against the financial fallout of extreme weather conditions.
Consequences of Inaction
The absence of a crop insurance scheme has compounded the challenges faced by orchard owners. With no reliable mechanisms to mitigate financial risks, each disaster leaves growers in deeper distress, jeopardizing not only immediate recovery but also the long-term sustainability of the fruit industry.
Urgent Recommendations from KCCI
The Chamber has laid out a series of recommendations aimed at alleviating the hardships of affected farmers and ensuring future resilience:
- Damage Assessment: KCCI calls for thorough evaluation of losses in all impacted districts, urging that assessment teams include representatives from the horticulture department and agricultural experts. This approach would ensure an accurate and transparent appraisal of damages.
- Financial Relief: Immediate and adequate compensation must be provided to affected growers, especially marginal farmers who lack the financial reserves to absorb such catastrophic losses. Timely disbursement of relief funds is critical to prevent further economic distress.
- Introduction of Crop Insurance: Expedite the implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance program, tailored specifically to the needs of Kashmir’s fruit industry. This scheme would offer protection against future disasters and provide a safety net for growers during times of crisis.
Broader Implications for Kashmir’s Economy
The devastation of orchards extends beyond individual growers, affecting the broader economy of Kashmir. With fruit exports constituting a significant portion of regional revenue, any disruption in production ripples through related industries such as logistics, warehousing, packaging, and trade.
Horticulture Sector at Risk
Horticulture experts warn that continued neglect of structural issues in the sector could lead to a decline in productivity and competitiveness. Without proactive measures like crop insurance, the Valley’s fruit industry remains vulnerable to future disasters, threatening its position as an economic cornerstone.
Call to Action
The KCCI has appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir government to prioritize the immediate needs of fruit growers and prevent further economic distress. The Chamber emphasizes that rehabilitation efforts must address not only the physical damage to orchards but also the psychological toll on growers, many of whom are struggling to see a way forward.
———————– Press Release ———————–
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) expresses profound concern regarding the substantial losses suffered by fruit growers across Kashmir following recent severe weather conditions and flash floods in Ramban district in Jammu, which have caused devastating losses.
As per reports, numerous fruit orchards throughout the districts of Shopian, Kulgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Budgam, Pulwama, and other areas of the Valley experienced catastrophic damage from intense hailstorms accompanied by lightning, thunderstorms, and powerful winds. These weather events left orchards blanketed in ice, severely impacting Kashmir’s vital fruit industry—a cornerstone of the region’s economy.
KCCI has been vigorously advocating for introducing a comprehensive crop insurance scheme for several years. The Chamber has engaged in continuous dialogue with government officials, submitted detailed proposals to highlight the urgent necessity of such protection for the region’s agricultural sector.
The absence of a crop insurance scheme has significantly compounded the challenges faced by orchard owners. The recent weather events have devastated the hopes of fruit growers and dealers across the Valley, creating not only immediate hardships for orchard owners /fruit growers but also triggering wider economic repercussions throughout the horticulture sector.
KCCI urgently calls upon the government to immediately conduct a thorough assessment of the damages incurred across all affected districts and strongly recommends that assessment teams include representatives from both the horticulture department and agricultural experts to ensure accurate evaluation of losses.
Furthermore, we request that the administration provide prompt and adequate compensation to affected farmers, particularly the marginal growers who lack the financial reserves to absorb such catastrophic losses.. Timely disbursement of relief funds is essential to prevent further economic distress and enable orchard rehabilitation.
KCCI urges the administration to expedite the implementation of a comprehensive crop insurance program tailored to the specific needs of Kashmir’s fruit industry, ensuring that growers receive adequate protection and compensation during times of natural disaster.
Faiz Ahmad Bakshi
Secretary General
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry INC.
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E-MAIL : thekashmirchamber@gmail.com
Website : www.thekcci.in
