The Hindu : Front Page : Weather-based crop insurance to be introduced

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Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010
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Weather-based crop insurance to be introduced

S. Ganesan

For rabi season in five districts

TIRUCHI: The Agricultural Insurance Company of India will implement a weather based crop insurance scheme on a pilot basis for the current rabi season in five districts of Tamil Nadu.

The scheme would be implemented in Ariyalur, Perambalur, Salem, Dharmapuri, and Virudhunagar districts for the 2009-10 Rabi season, C. Anbarasan, Regional Manager, Agricultural Insurance Company of India, Chennai, told The Hindu here recently.

Compensation for farmers

Under the scheme, farmers would be compensated for losses in the yield triggered by adverse weather conditions such as excess/shortfall in rain, temperature, frost, humidity and other scientific parameters.

The parameters were based on a scientific study conducted in association with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Mr. Anbarasan said.

Mandatory for loanees

While the coverage under the scheme would be mandatory for farmers taking crop loans from banks, non-loanee farmers could join the scheme by paying the premium along with the application form through banks where they hold savings bank accounts.

Otherwise they could also pay the premium by way of Demand Drafts through the agricultural insurance company agents in the districts.

Farmers’ share

Under the scheme, farmers were required to pay only 20 per cent of the premium for all crops except fruit/horticulture and the remaining 80 per cent of the premium would be contributed equally by the State and Central governments.

For horticulture crops, farmers would be required to pay 50 per cent of the premium while the rest would be contributed by the State and Central governments.

Crops covered

Paddy, groundnut, sunflower, gingelly, maize, chillies, tomato, onion, cotton and mango crops would be covered under the scheme. Applications under the scheme were being collected and farmers were required to submit the same within the deadline stipulated for different crops.

Further details could be had from the Agricultural Insurance Company of India, Chennai, over the telephone at 044-42051349/50.

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