Banana farmers want crop insurance

Indore: Banana farmers of Burhanpur have raised concerns over damage caused to the crop by September rain and have urged state government to restart crop insurance scheme for horticulture crops. More than 200 farmers under the aegis of Pragatisheel Kisan Sanghathan, Madhya Pradesh, in a meeting at Shahpur in Burhanpur district on Monday claimed losses to more than 30 per cent banana crop in Burhanpur due to rain. Banana is planted on more than 25,000 hectare in Burhanpur. The state government has discontinued Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from 2020 and it should be restarted, said Pragatisheel Kisan Sanghathan.. The sangathan president and a Burhanpur farmer, Raghunath Patil said, “Farmers have suffered massive loss due to unseasonal rain in September that damaged banana plantation in the district. Looking at the extent of damage, the state government should again start crop insurance that were discontinued in 2020.”Farmers also demanded an expedite release of compensation them by the state government. Shivkumar Kushwah, a banana farmer said, “Framers suffer heavy losses from rain and drought. The state government should understand pain of farmers and start giving benefits of insurance claim.” Farmers have also demanded the state government to set up an advanced laboratory for quality check of seeds. The horticulture department has initiated a survey to assess the loss to the banana crop in the district from disease and unseasonal rain.

Release water from 17 canals: Banana farmers

Farmers in Trichy district, Tamil Nadu, are requesting officials to release water from 17 canals to save their horticulture crops, including banana, flowers, and sugarcane. The farmers rely on these canals for water, but due to water shortage from the Karnataka government, officials have diverted water to other districts. The farmers are urging officials to consider their plight and release water for their crops.

Insurance firms to pay 25% to farmers before damage study

Maharashtra is facing a severe crisis in the farming sector. The number of insurance policies issued under the Prime Minister's crop insurance scheme exceeds the number of registered farmers in the state. The state government is offering crop insurance for a nominal premium of Re 1, leading to a massive response. Insurance companies will provide 25% of the sum assured upfront, with the remaining compensation to be granted by the state government. The government is also monitoring losses caused by the yellow mosaic virus affecting soybean crops. The goal is to ensure that cotton growers receive a price with a 50% margin above the cost incurred.

Govt to assess crop damage caused by pink bollworms

The agriculture department in Jaipur has formed a technical team to investigate the increase in pink bollworm infestations in Sriganganagar district and neighboring areas. The pest has caused damage not only to cotton crops but also to cluster beans and grains. The department has also requested insurance companies to assess the damage caused by recent rainfall in order to provide compensation to farmers. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced a compensation of Rs 560 crore for six lakh farmers affected by natural disasters under the crop insurance scheme.