India - Insurance firms fix low rates, put farmers in trouble

09.02.2017 499 views
The drought-hit farmers are now a worried lot, upset over the  Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and private insurance companies. According to farmers, the private insurance companies are trying to pay them a low amount as insurance by taking into account the sowing period as the crop loss period instead of the harvesting period. After the monsoon failure and the non-receipt of Cauvery water, farmers in the delta region managed to cultivate crops with groundwater. Despite having  grown the crops, the unprecedented rainfall destroyed it completely. Meanwhile, adding to the worries of the farmers who were expecting insurance for the failed crops, insurance companies were considering only the sowing period as against the harvest time. “With the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the State and Central governments are only paying subsidies up to 26%. Afterwards, if there is any crop loss, the governments point towards the private insurance companies. Now, the private companies are playing games in connection with the insurance amount,” said ‘Cauvery’ Dhanapalan, president, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association. According to him, the insurance companies were considering crop loss as the loss which happened during the period of sowing, whereas the truth was that 90 per cent loss had occurred. “If the insurance companies consider the loss during the sowing period, farmers could get just `6,000 per acre as insurance. But actually the loss happened only during harvest time. If the companies consider the loss at the time of harvesting, they have to provide `26,000 per acre as insurance,” he added. Questioning the way crop assessment was done, Cauvery Delta Farmers Associations office-bearer Guru Gobi Ganesan said, “Nowadays, the officials are assessing the crops on the basis of villages. The place chosen for crop-cutting experiment is most often in well-grown parts. Despite 90 per cent of agricultural lands having become barren with the drought, the officials are assessing the remaining 10 per cent areas where crops have grown well.” Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com
19.07.2026

Severe weather on July 14 damages a total of about 400 hectares in Germany

On July 14, severe storms swept through the Nuremberg region and the Upper Palatinate in Germany. About 3,000 firefighters were deployed, and several people were injured.

19.07.2026

Canada - Manitoba farm ordered to pay $660K after crop insurance lawsuit

MASC says it overpaid farm hundreds of thousands based on misrepresented production data in crop insurance claims, farm says it is working with the agency for a settlement, rather than appeal.

19.07.2026

India - MP CM transfers Rs 1,460 crore crop insurance to farmers

In a major relief for farmers, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday transferred Rs 1,460.25 crore directly into the accounts of 10.54 lakh farmers across Madhya Pradesh.

19.07.2026

Australia - Victoria bushfires expose commercial lines concentration

Agricultural losses reveal why the event differed from typical bushfire claims.

19.07.2026

USA - BulkLoads expands ag freight footprint with Livestock Network acquisition

BulkLoads is expanding its presence in agricultural transportation through the acquisition of Livestock Network.

19.07.2026

USA - AgriLife Extension shares guidance for flood-damaged hay

Proper documentation, inspection, disposal critical to recovery process while ensuring livestock health.

14.07.2026

Europe Warned Pollinator Loss Threatens Crops

EU-funded researchers say stronger pollinator stewardship is needed across agriculture, environment and policy to protect food security.

14.07.2026

India - A.P. farmers’ body seeks extension of crop insurance premium deadline

The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham on Tuesday (July 14, 2026) urged the State government to extend the deadline for payment of farmers’ share of premiums under the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme for cotton, groundnut, and tomato crops from July 15 to July 31.