Deadline close by, only 18 per cent of paddy crops in Thanjavur insured
THANJAVUR: Even with only a week left for the cut-off date for paying crop insurance premium, only 18% of the samba paddy cultivated here - 38,628 acres of the 2.20 lakh acres of cultivation - has been insured so far. According to officials, only 14,189 farmers have insured their crop. The last day for insuring crops is November 15.
Though there was widespread loss last samba season, only seven of the total villages were given insurance claims, which the farmers attribute as a factor for their reluctance to insure this year. As many as 891 villages in the district were notified for insurance under the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance scheme this year.
Samba and thalady farmers could insure their crops by paying the premium at the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies (PACCS), nationalised banks or through common service centres. The Agricultural Insurance Corporation of India (AICL) and the Reliance General Insurance companies have been initiating the insurance process, with farmers obliged to pay a premium sum of Rs 539 per acre for samba paddy.
Farmers have been advised to submit 'Adangal', which is the crop certificate from the village administrative officer, along with the copy of the first page of the bank pass book and the copy of the Aadhaar card. "As only seven villages were given claims, the farmers have shown reluctance to insure their crops this year," said R Sukumaran, a farmer from Kakkarai. "Usually, the farmers would be busy milling in front of the village administrative office for certificates and online registration of insurance applications in the week leading to the cut-off date.
This year, however, not much crowd was present," Sukumaran added. V Veerasenan of Ponnavarayankottai said he paid the crop insurance only on Monday. "Heavy rains were forecast for the northeast monsoon and if there are heavy crop losses, farmers might get some relief from insurance," Veerasenan said. The agricultural department officials also exhorted the farmers to insure their crop to avoid losses due to unforeseen natural calamities. Last year, a total of 3.5 lakh acres was insured during the samba and thalady season by around 1.35 lakh farmers.