Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali today directed the Oil Marketing Companies to maintain adequate stock of the horticulture mineral oil in the state.The Minister chaired a meeting which was attended by Secretary Horticulture and representatives of oil marketing companies of the state to review the stock position of the spray oil.Chowdhary Zulfkar directed the companies to increase the quantity of spray oil while ensuring its quality.The Minister also directed the companies to establish new oil depot at Anantnag for distribution of oil on time during spray season and also directed them to increase number of distributors in other districts of the valley so that the orchardists don’t have to travel long distances to get spray oil.Maintaining that horticulture is the backbone of state economy, Minister urged the orchardists and farmers to follow the spray schedule issued by the experts from SKUAST.The Minister also reviewed the progress of shifting of oil depots from Jammu city to the outskirts keeping in view the safety hazards arising from their closeness to civilian settlements.Minister was informed that 924 kanals of land have been identified in the outskirts of Jammu city for shifting of oil depots in a time-bound manner.