To encourage farmers adopt progressive farming practices without fear of crop damage due to natural disasters, pests and diseases, as many as 14 crops have been notified for insurance coverage in the district for the current kharif season.
Official sources told The Hindu that the crops and the areas were notified by a coordination committee on crop insurance comprising officials from agriculture department and insurance sector. All farmers, including sharecroppers and tenant farmers, were eligible for insurance coverage under National Agriculture Insurance Scheme.
Of the 14 crops notified for insurance coverage in the district, cholam and gingelly were notified at the block levels, while paddy, maize, black gram, green gram, red gram, ground nut, cotton, sugarcane, turmeric, onion, tapioca and banana, have been notified at the select 31 ‘firkas’ level.
Crop loan
With crop loan disbursal projected at Rs. 1,538 crore in the district during 2015-16 fiscal, there would be corresponding large scale insurance coverage as farmers availing of crop loans for the cultivation of ‘notified crops’ would have to be compulsorily given the insurance coverage. “We have communicated to all banks in the district about the guidelines for compulsory insurance coverage to be given to farmers who opt for loans to raise notified crops and how premium should be collected,” said Lead District Manager V. Ganesan.
