VIJAYAWADA: Crop insurance is emerging as a financial safety net for farmers during natural calamities. The policy, strongly advocated and implemented by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is expected to provide protection to farmers affected by Cyclone Arnab. At a time when heavy rains, floods and inundation are causing crop losses, the importance of crop insurance and its role in providing financial security to farmers have once again come into focus.
The Chief Minister has consistently stressed the importance of crop insurance to the official machinery, emphasising that while natural disasters cannot be prevented, their financial impact on farmers can be reduced through adequate insurance protection. The inundation caused by Cyclone Arnab has once again highlighted the importance of this mechanism, particularly for farmers who risk losing their entire investment when crops are damaged close to the harvesting stage.
Under the Kharif 2026 insurance programme, the sum insured per acre is approximately Rs 40,000 for paddy, Rs 20,000 for red gram, Rs 90,000 for dry chilli, Rs 33,000 for maize and Rs 94,000 for turmeric. These amounts represent the insurance coverage provided for different crops and offer financial protection in accordance with the respective scheme conditions.
Under PMFBY, 30,286 Crop Cutting Experiments (CCEs) have been planned to assess actual yields at the notified insurance-unit level. The actual yield recorded through these experiments will be compared with the threshold yield to determine eligible claims in accordance with the scheme guidelines.
Preliminary estimates indicate that around 4.10 lakh hectares of crops across 16 districts have been inundated due to Cyclone Arnab. In this backdrop, crop insurance is expected to help eligible farmers recover part of their agricultural investments, subject to the prescribed assessment procedures and scheme conditions.
Following verification of farmers’ enrolment details, crop cultivation particulars through e-Panta and claim eligibility, the admissible compensation will be credited directly to the bank accounts of eligible farmers as per the scheme guidelines. This is expected to provide financial support to affected farmers and help them resume agricultural operations in the next cropping season.