Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday directed officials to gather detailed reports on crop damage from states affected by inclement weather. He assured farmers there was no need to worry, saying the government stands firmly with them in this hour of crisis.According to a statement by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, the minister will hold discussions with agriculture ministers of affected states to review the extent of the damage and take necessary steps.Chouhan also instructed officials to remain in close contact with state governments to monitor the impact on standing crops.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a fresh western disturbance will affect North-West India from April 7, triggering widespread rainfall, thunderstorms and hailstorms across Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh through April 10.Thundersqualls with gusts up to 70 kmph are likely over parts of North-West and east India, it said.Hailstorms, the primary driver of crop losses, are forecast over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan on April 7-8, and over east Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada on Sunday.In Jammu and Kashmir, farmers have been advised to store harvested mustard, lentil and gram safely and drain excess water from standing crops. Farmers in Kerala have been asked to provide mechanical support to banana plants, while those in Tamil Nadu have been advised to avoid pesticide application during heavy rain and prepare basins for spice crops.Across affected states, harvested produce should be covered with tarpaulin or moved indoors, and horticultural crops secured against strong winds, the government said.Livestock owners have been advised to shelter animals during hailstorms and store feed in dry locations. Fish pond owners should install netted outlets to prevent overflow losses.The wheat crop, which has matured in several parts of northern India and is in the final stage of ripening elsewhere, is facing delays in harvesting due to wet field conditions. Farmers said continued rainfall has made it difficult to operate harvesting machinery, pushing back the harvesting schedule.