Farmers, however, say that damage caused by hailstones and heavy rainfall to "standing and blooming apple orchards" is much higher and the department is yet to assess this loss.
According to the report, a copy of which is with The Tribune, hailstones, rain and gusty winds have severely destroyed over 13,908 metric tonnes of "full fruit crops" of over 23,500 small, marginal and other farmers (10,718 in Shimla, 7,262 in Mandi, 5,520 in Kullu; three main fruit producing districts).
Hailstones, rain and windstorms destroyed the fruit crop in 6,817 hectares in Shimla, 2,549 hectares in Mandi and 1,852 hectares in Kullu district early this week, the report states.
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