New Delhi, Oct. 19 -- For India's apple growers, a single hailstorm can wipe out months of hard work and investment by damaging fruits and trees, and reducing the marketable yields. Farmers in the world's fifth-largest apple-producing country are taking to Israeli anti-hail nets to protect their orchards, driving up this shield's imports as erratic weather threatens crops and livelihoods, according to industry experts and growers.

The shift comes as changing weather patterns put pressure on apple production by hurting both the output quantity and quality in Himachal Pradesh, which caters to about 37% of the country's output. Neighbouring Jammu & Kashmir remains the country's largest apple producer, accounting for 60-65% of the country's ...