Hailstorm damages apple orchards in Shopian

Shopian, Aug 7: An intense hailstorm Wednesday evening spelt doom for apple orchards in several villages of south Kashmir’s Shopian district known for producing first-rate apples.Apple cultivators from Adijan, Pushama, Reshnagri, and Kanjiullar villages of the district said that an intense hailstorm wreaked havoc on their apple farms.According to the affected farmers, the chickpea-sized hailstones caused bruises on the surface of apples.President Fruit Mandi Shopian, Muhammad Ashraf Wani said that the hailstorm lasted for 10 to 15 minutes, causing significant damage to both the fruit and foliage.