Orchard owners in HP install anti hail machines to protect apple crops

As the apple orchard owners suffered huge losses when their crops were destroyed by hail stones, they decided to combat the problem by installing advanced anti hail machines imported from New Zealand.  Himachal Pradesh is known for the best varieties of apples. In 2014, hailstorms had destroyed their crops, but this year the farmers are confident of tackling any impending calamity. The anti hail guns have been successfully test fired and declared fully functional to protect their fruits that are due for harvesting in July-August. Each device cost over Rs 1 crore, but the growers couldn't get subsidy or support from the government. The HP government had instead promoted a scheme to provide 80 per cent subsidy on anti hail nets to growers. There were no takers for these nets as the crops were vulnerable to attacks even after that. The anti hail guns, on the other hand have worked and turned saviour for the apple growers. Like all crops, the fate of HP's  Rs 3,500 crore apple economy depends on the weather to a large extent. Right from the time the trees start bearing flowers in April, to July-August when the fruits are ready for plucking, the single biggest worry for growers is the threat of hail. The anti-hail gun is a shockwave generator that does not allow the formation of hail stones in the atmosphere. The ignition of acetylene gas and oxygen in the lower chamber results in a blast that travels at the speed of sound through the cloud formations above and converts the hail stones that would have been formed into harmless raindrops or soft sleet. The protected area of cloud formation – which can be prevented from developing into hail - for an individual machine, is about 1.5 km around it.