Hailstorms accompanied by rain have destroyed unseasonal vegetables, flowers, tomatoes and wheat crops planted by farmers in Salyan. The hailstorm, which lasted for about an hour on Wednesday evening, destroyed unseasonal vegetables in Kapurkot Rural Municipality-5, oranges, kiwis and tomatoes in Chhatreshwari Rural Municipality-1 and 2, oranges in Triveni Rural Municipality-3 and oranges and wheat crops remaining to be harvested in Bagchaur Municipality-7, 8 and 9.

More than 1,000 farmers from four municipalities have been affected after the destruction of flowering unseasonal vegetables, fruiting oranges, kiwis, tomatoes and wheat crops remaining to be harvested. Farmers who not only earn a comfortable living by selling vegetables, oranges, tomatoes and kiwis but also earn lakhs of rupees are worried.

The hailstorm that fell for about an hour destroyed all the newly fruiting apples and kiwis in his garden, and the plants were left bare when the leaves fell, said Chitra Bahadur KC, a farmer from Gurase, Chhatreshwari Rural Municipality-2. He informed that not only apples and kiwis, but also mustard greens planted for seed production were crushed.

‘I had planted kiwis in 10 ropanis and apples in 10 ropanis. I used to earn Rs 6 lakh annually. My household expenses were easy to meet. This time, the expenditure on fertilizer will not be recovered,’ he said. Ram Kumar Rasaili, a farmer from Kapurkot Rural Municipality-5, who planted tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, cucumbers and cucumbers on more than 6 ropanis of land, said that only a few plants survived the hailstorm and all the rest were broken and crushed. 

He informed that the hailstorm caused an economic loss of Rs 3-4 lakh. "The annual income from off-season vegetables is Rs 5-6 lakh, but this time the hard work has been wasted. It seems that it will be difficult to even cover the cost of buying seeds," he said. He said that the hailstorm has damaged not only his own but also the vegetables of all farmers. 

Pokhar Raj Dangi, a farmer from Pimkhola, Triveni Rural Municipality-3, said that the hailstorm has damaged not only his own but also the oranges planted by hundreds of farmers. He has requested the concerned body for compensation. 

Yagya Bahadur Dangi, ward chairman of Bagchaur Municipality-9, said that the hailstorm that fell on Wednesday evening has damaged the orange fruits and leaves of farmers growing in the gardens of farmers in Kotmaula and the surrounding areas and has destroyed the wheat crop that farmers have left to harvest. 

He informed that more than 300 farmers have been affected in his ward alone. "Farmers of Bagchaur Municipality-8 and Kotmaula had been earning an additional Rs 250 million annually by selling oranges. Not only has the standard of living of farmers improved. They had built houses, houses, and cars. They had given higher education to their children. They had made oranges their main source of income. After the hailstorm destroyed them, the farmers are worried,' he said. He said that preparations are being made to collect the details of the damage caused by the hailstorm and send it to the municipality. 

Meanwhile, Ward Chairman of Chhatreshwari Rural Municipality 1, Prakash Hamal, said that the hailstorm in Ward No. 1 and 2 had caused more than 70 percent damage to kiwi, timur, and oranges. He informed that more than 500 farmers were affected by it. 'The main cash crops of the farmers in Ward No. 1 and 2 were oranges, kiwi, apples, timur, and mustard greens. After the damage, it is seen that the livelihood of the farmers will be greatly affected,' he said. He said that the hailstorm may have caused financial damage of Rs. 30 million to oranges, kiwi, and apples alone.