Mango farmers get a sweet deal with new insurance scheme

Chittoor/Tirupati: The NDA government has brought good news for mango farmers in the state as it implements the Re-structured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) this year. Orders have been issued to ex-tend this scheme specifically for mango cultivation, providing much-needed protection against weather-related losses.

Chittoor district, known for its mango production, is home to many farmers who rely heavily on this crop. For the past five years, these farmers have faced significant challenges due to natural calamities, pests and previous government neglect. The once-profitable crop had turned into a source of financial strain. With RWBCIS, the government aims to reverse this trend by safeguarding farmers from unfore-seen losses.

Farmers wishing to benefit from this insurance scheme need to register their crop by paying a premium of Rs.1750 per acre. This payment makes them eligible for insurance coverage of up to Rs 35,000 per acre. The final date for premium payment is December 15, 2024.

The scheme applies to those who plant mango crops after October 1, and farmers can register through banks, common service centers (CSCs), village secretariats, the National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP), or mobile applications.

The initiative could benefit up to 69800 farmers in Chittoor district and around 20,000 farmers in Tirupati district, covering 58,450 hectares and 54,000 acres, respectively. The scheme focuses on four weather parameters: rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind. These factors will be monitored between December 15, 2024 and May 31, 2025. For a full insurance payout, all four parameters must align; oth-erwise, farmers may receive no compensation and the premium will not be refunded.

D Madhusudan Reddy, deputy director of horticulture in Chittoor, highlighted that this is the first insur-ance policy specifically designed based on acreage. The district has 93 automatic weather stations locat-ed at electrical substations to record the necessary data, ensuring accurate assessments for insurance claims. The recordings from these stations will only be taken into consideration for deciding the insur-ance claims.

While the scheme brings hope, some farmers have expressed concerns over the cost. A farmer with five acres would need to pay Rs 8,750 as a premium, which many find difficult to afford. Despite this, regis-tration has begun and farmers are gradually enrolling, though the overall reception to the scheme re-mains uncertain.

For additional information, farmers can contact horticulture officers, farmer service centres, or insurance agent Alla Bakash at 9704993284.