Veggies get insurance cover

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 10

The weather-based insurance scheme has been introduced for tomato, potato, ginger and peas during the Kharif season on an experimental basis to protect the farmers against crop losses due to heavy rain, hailstorm and drought.

The tomato and potato crops harvested from August 1 to October 15, ginger crop harvested from July 1 to September 15 and peas crop between May 15 and October 31 are covered and the insurance is mandatory for loanee farmers and optional for non-loanee farmers, said, Dr SR Kalia, Director Agriculture, Himachal.

The premium rate for ginger has been fixed at 7 per cent for Sirmaur and 9 per cent for Solan and Bilaspur district while for tomato the premium rates are Bilaspur 6 per cent, Kangra 13.17 per cent, Kullu 18 per cent, Mandi 7.50 per cent, Shimla 13.32 per cent, Sirmaur 6 per cent and Solan 9 per cent.

The premium rates for potato in Chamba are 5.79 per cent, Kangra 4.91 per cent, Kinnaur 13.45 per cent, Kullu 9.50 per cent, Lahaul and Spiti 4.11 per cent, Mandi 7.50 per cent, Shimla 8 per cent and Sirmaur 11 per cent while the premium rates for peas are Chamba 6.32 per cent, Kinnaur 1.25 per cent Kullu 8 per cent, Lahaul and Spiti 2.30 per cent, Mandi 7.50 per cent and Shimla 7.92 per cent.

The remaining balance of premium will be paid by the Central and state government in 50:50 ratio and weather stations will be set up in districts to monitor the variation in weather causing damage and loss to crops.

The last date for insurance is July 31 for tomato, May 31 for potato, June 30 for ginger and May 14 for peas, Kalia said. The insurance cover is Rs 1-lakh per hectare for tomato, Rs 75,000 for potato, Rs 1.25 lakh ginger and Rs 1-lakh for peas.