The apple trade is the spine of Kashmir’s horticulture economic system, producing an estimated ₹10,000–12,000 crore yearly and supporting almost 3.5 million livelihoods immediately and not directly throughout Jammu and Kashmir.
Amid recurring spells of hailstorms wreaking havoc throughout Kashmir’s apple belt, calls for for the introduction of a crop insurance scheme have grown louder amongst growers.
Based on meteorologists, the Valley witnessed no less than seven hailstorm occasions over the previous month, inflicting widespread injury to apple orchards.
“The precise extent of losses is but to be assessed, however the repeated hailstorms have induced vital injury to apple crops throughout Kashmir’s apple-growing areas,” mentioned Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the All Kashmir Fruit Growers and Sellers Affiliation.
He mentioned that in the absence of a crop insurance mechanism, apple cultivators stay extremely susceptible to weather-related shocks.
The apple trade is the spine of Kashmir’s horticulture economic system, producing an estimated ₹10,000–12,000 crore yearly and supporting almost 3.5 million livelihoods immediately and not directly throughout Jammu and Kashmir.
Repeated hailstorms
The influence of the repeated hailstorms is already seen in orchards throughout south Kashmir.
Zahid Ahmad, an apple grower from Shopian, mentioned his orchard was battered by almost marble-sized hailstones throughout a storm final week, inflicting substantial injury to the crop.
“The hailstorm knocked off a major quantity of fruit and foliage. I estimate the injury at round 45 per cent. We are actually ready for the implementation of the crop insurance scheme in order that growers have some safety towards such losses,” he mentioned.
In his Finances speech in February, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah introduced provisions for insuring crops comparable to apple, saffron and litchi. Nonetheless, these crops are but to be introduced underneath any insurance cowl.
On Might 23, Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar informed reporters that the federal government would roll out the Restructured Climate Based mostly Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) inside two months and that the bidding course of can be initiated shortly.
“Even when the scheme is launched inside two months, this season will stay uncovered,” Basheer mentioned.
Earlier, the federal government had maintained that tenders for the scheme have been floated a number of instances, however insurers confirmed little curiosity in collaborating.
In February, the federal government knowledgeable the Meeting that two insurers — Agriculture Insurance Firm of India and Tata AIG Normal Insurance — had emerged because the lowest bidders (L1) for implementing the RWBCIS for apple and saffron crops in Jammu and Kashmir.
Based on the federal government, 4 bids have been obtained from empanelled insurers for apple and saffron crops in the Kashmir division and 5 bids for notified crops in the Jammu division. Following analysis of premium quotes, the 2 firms have been chosen for three clusters in Kashmir (K1, K2 and K3) and one cluster in Jammu (J1).
Nonetheless, an official, talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned contemporary tenders can be floated on June 1.
The official mentioned the 2 bidders chosen earlier weren’t authorized after quoting premium charges exceeding 30 per cent.
Growers argue that the delay in implementing the insurance scheme has left them uncovered to more and more erratic climate patterns.
Printed on June 2, 2026
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