Farmers in Virudhunagar district have been advised to pay premium for their crops under Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme which is being implemented since July 21. New India Insurance would undertake crop insurance under the scheme in the district.

In a statement, Collector A. Sivagnanam said insurance for paddy (samba) should be completed by November 30, 2016, and for other crops the deadline for paying premium was January 15, 2017.

For the farmers who sought crop loan, the premium would be deducted by the respective banks and remitted to the insurance company. Those who did not get crop loan should pay the premium at Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies or nationalised banks, the Collector said.

Joint Director (Agriculture) R. Gurumoorthy said the premium should have been paid at least 15 days prior to the cut-off date fixed for each crop by District-level Monitoring Committee, led by the Collector, to become eligible for claiming compensation by the farmers who were prevented from sowing and transplanting crops by natural calamities.

“Only when 75 per cent of the farm area in the revenue village is affected, 25 per cent compensation would be given to the farmers who prepared their land, but could not start sowing or transplantation,” he said.

The same was the condition for those crops that faced damage after sowing or transplantation.

Post-harvest compensation was applicable only for those crops that were harvested in farms and then dried. The compensation would be paid only to those crops that faced damage within 14 days after harvest.

Average yield

Mr. Gurumoorthy said for yield loss due to natural calamities such as drought and rain, the loss would be arrived at based on the average yield for last five years.

For crop loss, the compensation would be paid within 60 days from the day of submitting the claims, the statement added.

Source - http://www.thehindu.com/