Local self-government institutions in Kozhikode will launch an awareness campaign from July 1 to persuade farmers to enrol in the revamped crop insurance scheme of the State government. July 1 will be observed as Crop Insurance Day and the benefits of the scheme will be highlighted with the support of Krishi Bhavans.
Most farmers’ organisations have welcomed the scheme as the compensation for crop loss will now be higher. The farmers are also happy with the inclusion of major food crops and cash crops under the scheme.
“For the loss of a fully-grown rubber tree, the insurance benefit is now ₹1,000, which is a fair compensation. The low premium, that is just ₹3 a year, remains the biggest attraction,” says Biju Abraham, a farmer from Thiruvambady.
Agriculture Department officials say coconut growers will get a coverage of ₹2,000 per coconut tree at an annual premium of ₹2.
“The important change is that farmers who do not have any crop insurance coverage as per the new guidelines will not be eligible to make any future claim for compensation from the government,” says Deputy Director of Agriculture (Credit) H. Suresh. He adds that the agriculture department, with the support of Krishi Bhavans, will strive to improve farmers’ participation in the project as it is the basic requirement to process future claims.
Agriculture Department figures say that only 10% of the total farmers’ population in Kozhikode district is currently covered under the scheme.
Within the 10%, a majority are plantain growers. Many of the large scale cultivators of food crops and cash crops are yet to be part of it.
