Shimla : Heavy Hailstorm Ravages Apple Crops in High-Altitude Regions

Several high-altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh, including Kotkhai in Shimla district, Aani in Kullu, and Jalori in Jalogi, have suffered significant losses to their apple crops due to unseasonal hailstorms. Sanjay Chauhan, the coordinator of the United Farmers’ Forum, expressed his concerns on social media, highlighting that this year, the crops had already been affected by a lack of snowfall, unpredictable weather, and a 40% reduction in apple production. Now, the apple orchards have faced extensive damage from hailstorms. He urged the government to promptly assess the crop damage and provide compensation to the farmers and orchard owners.

According to the Shimla Meteorological Center, several regions in the state are expected to experience adverse weather conditions for six days. The department has forecasted the possibility of rainfall in some areas from September 5th to September 10th. While no alerts have been issued for any district, today, Shimla and other parts of the state are witnessing inclement weather. Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, and Una have reported instances of thunder, light to moderate rainfall, and in some places, hailstorms and heavy rainfall.