SHOPIAN 24,AUG 2012 Minister for Horticulture Mr. Sham Lal Sharma has directed the concerned authorities to immediately undertake a detailed survey to assess losses occurred to the fruit crops in Shopian area due to wind/hailstorm acouple of days back. Chairing a meeting of officers, which was convened here to take stock of the situation that has arisen due to natural calamity in Shopian, the Minister issued specific instructions to the officers to complete the survey within next 3-4 days so that compensation to the sufferers was worked out accordingly. He directed the Director Horticulture Kashmir to personally monitor the process and submit the details of loss in the next week. He asked him to coordinate with the district administration/ revenue authorities in ascertaining the exact details. Meanwhile, the Minister asked the Commissioner/ Secretary Horticulture Department to initiate the process of fruit crop insurance so that farmers could be saved from the frequent losses caused due to natural calamities. He also directed him to work out a well-knit strategy well in advance on last year’s pattern for dispatching the fruits to various States from Valley. He directed for identifying new potential markets in the country to popularize the State fruits. He said last year the department made considerable efforts to promote State products in new cities including Himachal Pradesh and yielded good results. The efforts should be made to expand the ambit of activities this year also to generate more revenue, the Minister asserted. During the meeting, the Minister was informed that as per the rough estimates the fruit crops over 1100 hectares of area have suffered extensive loss due to wind/hailstorm in Shopian district. However, the exact quantum of loss will be ascertained after the survey details. Commissioner/ Secretary Agriculture Production (Horticulture) Mr. Shaleen Kabra, Director Horticulture, Kashmir Mr. Saleem, Chief Horticulture Officer, Shopian and other officers of the department of horticulture were present in the meeting.