A hailstorm on April 25 caused extensive damage to apple orchards in Dolpa. The hail destroyed all apple blossoms and developing fruit across areas including Tripurasundari Municipality. Farmers have been pushed into financial distress due to the lack of crop insurance, prompting calls to the government for relief measures and the implementation of insurance schemes. April 25, Dolpa.
In this Himalayan district, heavy rain accompanied by hail on Saturday evening severely impacted apple orchards. The hailstorm damaged apple trees in multiple locations considered major production centers, including Tripurasundari Municipality—wards 3 Jiu, Sun, 4 Rang villages, Dangiwada in Thulibheri, Jufal, and Thala, according to affected farmers.
Ram Bahadur Gurung, operator of Mahadev Fruit and Garden Industry in Tripurasundari-3, reported that approximately half an hour of hail caused all recently blossomed apple flowers and newly formed fruitlets to fall and perish. He stated, “A brief hailstorm destroyed a year’s worth of hard work. Last year, income from apple farming ranged between NPR 300,000 to 500,000, but due to the hail, the expected yield this year will not be realized.”
Natural disasters have placed Dolpa’s apple farmers at significant economic risk, compounded by the absence of crop insurance. While districts such as Jumla, Manang, and Mustang have established apple crop insurance, farmers in Dolpa lament the lack of similar effective provisions. Govinda Bahadur Mall, head of the National Agriculture Modernization and Program Implementation Office, noted ongoing efforts to provide insurance for apple growers, though interest remains insufficient. Dolpa farmers have urged the government to conduct fair damage assessments, provide immediate relief, and implement crop insurance schemes promptly.
