Farmers suffer heavy loss as rains, hailstorm damage standing crop

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, June 13: Unseasonal rains and hailstorm last night have damaged standing crops and fruit in the thousands of acres of land putting the farming community at a heavy loss.
Farmers of Panchari block in Udhampur district said that with the unseasonal rains and hailstorm during last night, around 40 to 60 percent standing wheat crop was damaged while similar loss was caused to fruit of apple, apricot, peach, walnut, jujube etc.
Lali, Damnote, Radhnote, Bariote, Dubigali, Ladhal and Moungri in Block Panchari of District Udhampur are worst affected areas where thousands of acres of fruit farming and wheat crops have been destroyed.
According to Hans Raj Thakur, Sarpanch Damnote; Naib Sarpanch Jamal Din, Panch Uma Devi, Panch Sheelo Devi and Jarnail Singh, the farmers who are dependent on agriculture produce only have been put to a heavy loss.
They appealed to the District Administration Udhampur to depute teams for assessing the damages and submit a report to Government so that suitable compensation is provided to the farming community. They also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor that farmers’ loans be waived off.