SWAT: Farmers and orchard owners in Matta tehsil here on Saturday complained that the recent hailstorm and heavy rainfall wreaked havoc on their harvestable fruits in areas like Gwalerai, Chuprial, Beha and Rodingar.

They told Dawn that they lost large swathes of peaches, plums, apricots and apples, which were critical to their livelihoods.

The growers said agriculture was the backbone of the local economy, with most households depending on orchard farming for income.

They said the fruits produced in the area were sent across the country, especially Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat and Sialkot.

Workers also feel financial strain

The growers, however, said the recent rainstorm caused them significant losses ahead of the harvest time.

They said the hailstorm, coupled with heavy rainfall, caused irreparable damage to their standing crops.

“The timing of the storm could not have been worse, as the fruit was just days away from being picked and sent to markets,” a grower said.

Ihsanul Haq, an orchard owner from Gwalerai village, said more than 70 per cent ready produce of peach, plum and apricot was damaged in his village.

“This is the worst damage we have ever faced. The storm came out of nowhere and destroyed almost all of my ripe peaches and plums within minutes. The fruit was ready for picking, and we were about to send it to the markets,” he said.

“Now, we’ve lost everything. The damage is not just to the crops, but to our livelihoods. Without this income, it will be a struggle for many of us to make ends meet.”

Many orchard workers feel the financial strain, as their work is dependent on the seasonal harvest.

“Orchard owners are not the only ones who are suffering. Most of us depend on the picking season to earn our living. This hailstorm has ruined everything. There’s nothing left to pick, and now we face uncertainty for the coming months,” worker Ahmad Shah said.

The scale of the damage is becoming clearer as local agricultural experts begin to assess the losses.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the financial losses to the fruit-growing community in Matta tehsil could run into millions of rupees as most of the orchard produce in the region was damaged beyond recovery.

Now, many farmers are struggling to secure enough funds to replant and recover from the financial setback.

Expert Sardar Khalid weighed in on the long-term implications.

“The effects of this storm go beyond the immediate damage to the crops. This will also affect the soil quality and the overall health of the orchards in the coming seasons. Farmers will need significant support from the government and agricultural bodies to help rebuild their orchards and restore the livelihoods of everyone affected,” he said.

The provincial government has pledged to send relief teams to assist affected farmers, with financial compensation expected for those who have suffered significant losses.

However, many growers, including Ihsanul Haq, remain uncertain about how soon aid will reach them.

The orchard owners and workers have urged authorities to help them recover from financial losses and manage such challenges in the future.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2025