Agriculture Minister directs to assess damages caused by recent rains, hailstorms

Srinagar, Apr 20: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, Javid Ahmad Dar, has expressed deep concern over the adversities caused to orchards and farmlands due to the recent spell of heavy rains and hailstorms across Jammu and Kashmir.

The inclement weather has badly damaged the standing crops and horticultural produce, particularly in parts of north and south Kashmir.

In light of the situation, the minister has directed the Heads of the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to initiate an immediate assessment of the losses caused across all districts in J&K.

He instructed the concerned to dispatch the joint field teams comprising departmental officials to all affected areas in coordination with the district administrations, to evaluate the extent of the damage and submit consolidated reports for timely relief processing.

The minister also emphasized the importance of accurate and prompt damage reporting, urging the officials to ensure diligence in data collection.

He assured that Omar Abdullah-led government stands in solidarity with the farming community during this challenging time.

The J&K administration will remain closely engaged in assessing the situation and exploring appropriate measures to provide relief to the affected farmers, he said.