75 per cent damage caused to Almonds due to snow in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 14 (UNI) Almond crops suffered about 75 per cent damage due to recent snowfall and cold in the Kashmir valley, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was informed.

Mr Azad, who airdashed from Jammu, winter capital of the state, to Srinagar, the summer capital, to take stock of the situation in the wake of the heavy snowfall, was given a detailed briefing by the Divisional Administration at a high level meeting.

He was told about the damages suffered due to snowfall, heaviest after 15 years in the month of March.

The Chief Minister was told 60 per cent to 70 per cent damage has been recorded.

Official sources said branches of thousands of almond and other fruit trees were damaged in Shopian, Charar-e-Sharief and other parts of the Kashmir valley due to one to five feet of snowfall.

They said final assessment of the loss suffered due to snowfall will be known only after melting of snow.

UNI