Due to the heavy hail storms that struck the Martuni and Askeran regions in the NKR in late June, some 1,636 hectares of farm land were either destroyed completely or seriously damaged. This is the figure given by Armo Tzatryan, NKR Minister of Agriculture. The NKR government press office reports that recent discussions with the prime minister have resulted in a number of decisions regarding compensating the effected farmers. Grape growers will be partially compensated for their expenditures this year and certain taxes will be put off for two years. Wheat farmers will also be compensated for hail damage and it has been proposed that heavily damaged fields be collectively cultivated this year with state assistance and under the direction of the agriculture ministry. Presently, inspectors are out in the field in the particularly hard hit villages of Kert, Karahountch and Koulkhozashen in the Martuni region, to assess damage amounts for future compensation.