KALGHATGI(DHARWAD): What began as a breathtaking spectacle, a sudden hailstorm that carpeted villages in ice and drew comparisons to Kashmir, has left a devastating trail of destruction for farmers in the region.
A day after the unusual summer hailstorm and heavy showers swept through Kalghatgi, the blanket of white ice has been replaced by a saddening green one: tender mangoes and shattered crops lying on the ground.
The hailstorm on Tuesday has resulted in severe crop loss, plunging farmers into distress. Agriculture and horticulture officers are now on a hectic schedule, assessing the extent of the damage across affected villages including Machapur, Shivanapura, Gelavantarahalli, and Jinnur.
Parashuram Yettinagudda, an organic farmer from Machapur, recounted the extensive damage. “All our mangoes have been destroyed. In addition, our crops of green gram, soybeans, and jowar are completely wiped out. The tender mangoes have fallen to the ground, and even the trees have lost their leaves,” he lamented.
In Gelavantarahalli, farmer Basavaneppa Adargunchi said, “My eight-acre sugarcane crop has been wiped out. We had also cultivated maize and jowar to ensure fodder for our cattle. There is no crop left; the standing crop has collapsed. Even the dry fodder we had collected and stored under a tarpaulin is damaged.”
Sridevi, the horticulture officer for the region, confirmed that such a hailstorm has never occurred here before. “The entire mango crop in this region is lost. Hailstorms cause severe damage, and this is the critical time when mangoes are at their tender stage. Almost everywhere we have found damaged tender mangoes. Mango is covered under weather crop insurance, so farmers will receive compensation, but it is deeply saddening that the entire mango crop is gone this year,” she told TNIE.
According to her initial assessment, the region cultivates Alphonso mango on 2,149 hectares, and the entire crop has been affected. Additionally, 20 hectares of arecanut and 2-3 hectares of banana plantation have been completely destroyed.
Hailstorm kills 39 sheep, farmer devastated
Belagavi: A shepherd’s 39 sheep were killed in a heavy hailstorm on Tuesday night near Sankeshwar. The incident has left him devastated, as his primary source of livelihood is completely destroyed. The sheep belonged to Shankar Karajagi, who was entirely dependent on sheep rearing for his livelyhood.
The animals had been sheltered in a makeshift enclosure set up in Santosh Mudasi’s agricultural field. However, the sudden spell of heavy rain, hailstorm and gusty winds proved fatal, killing all 39 sheep on the spot. The loss is estimated to be worth several lakhs of rupees, pushing the already struggling shepherd and his family into severe financial distress.
With his entire flock wiped out in a single night, Karajagi now faces an uncertain future, as his means of income has been completely destroyed. Officials and local representatives visited the spot to assess the situation. Sankeshwar Village Administrative Officer NR Patil, along with veterinary staff, village assistant Rasheed Nannubhai and Halumatha community leader Gajanan Kwalli, inspected the site and took stock of the damage.