The horticulture department has issued an advisory to fruit growers in Kashmir asking them to speed up apple harvest after the India Meteorological Development (IMD) on Tuesday issued a warning saying a fresh western disturbance approaching the region could result in heavy snowfall and rains from Friday.

The IMD warned that heavy snowfall could lead to damage to the apple orchards and temporary disruption of traffic along major highways in hilly areas. ‘There is an advisory from IMD, so we have asked growers without wasting time, they should harvest apples in the orchards where apples are still on trees,’ said horticulture department director Ajaz Ahmad Bhat. He added that the apple growers should also prune trees and ensure proper drainage in the orchards. ‘People should not panic but start working to save their orchards and crop,’ he said.

Snowfall in the first week of November in Kashmir in 2018 damaged orchards.