Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Jul: State Minister of Agriculture and Horticulture, Ganesh Joshi, held a review meeting on Tuesday at his camp office with officials from the Agriculture and Horticulture Departments to assess preparations for the upcoming Harela Festival and to evaluate the damage caused to crops by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms.
During the meeting, Minister Joshi directed officials to organise extensive plantation drives across the state on the occasion of Harela. He announced that approximately 15 lakh monsoon-season fruit saplings will be distributed and planted free of cost. He instructed district horticulture officers to prioritise planting of varieties such as mango, guava, litchi, pomegranate, lemon, malta, and jackfruit.
The Minister also reviewed the losses suffered by farmers due to hailstorms and heavy rainfall since April 2024. He was informed that losses worth approximately Rs 7 crore have been recorded. Of the total crop damage, 4,773 hectares of agricultural land were affected—1,387 hectares irrigated and 3,386 hectares non-irrigated—in areas where damage exceeded 33%. Minister Joshi also stated that under Kharif and Rabi crop insurance schemes for the year 2023-24, farmers have already received insurance payouts totalling Rs 411 crore. He assured the farmers that the government stands with them in these difficult times and that compensation will soon be disbursed in accordance with Government of India norms.
In the review, Minister Joshi also directed officials to expedite the paperwork for the proposed Phytosanitary Lab and Pack House in Ranipokhari. He emphasised that the facility would be a milestone for the testing, packaging, and export of fruits, vegetables, and horticultural produce from the state. Officials informed him that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project has already been prepared.
It was also reported that, following the Minister’s directions, the Horticulture Research Centre at Chaubattia has been revived and is now functional once again.
Present at the meeting were KC Pathak (Director, Agriculture), Mahendra Pal (Mission Director, Horticulture), Dr Suresh Ram, Dr Ajay Kumar Verma, and other senior officials.
