Insured farmers to get compensation

Pune: District agriculture officer (DAO) Dnyaneshwar Bote has said that only farmers having crop insurance cover will receive compensation for damages to paddy crop during rainfall between November 5 and 7 in the district.

Bote’s office released a report stating paddy harvest covering over 34 hectares, held by 221 farmers, in seven villages near BhimaShankar in Ambegaon taluka was destroyed in the recent rains. “As per the state government policy, farmers can receive compensation if rainfall is over 65mm. In this case, Ambegaon has recorded 13.8mm rainfall. So, the farmers are not eligible for the state government compensation. The rainfall has not crossed the 65mm mark anywhere in the district. The maximum rainfall of 30mm occurred in Khed tehsil,” said Bote.

Bote said only farmers who have subscribed to crop insurance will get compensation. “We have told the tehsil agriculture staff to find out how many farmers have subscribed to the crop insurance policy,” he added.

Officials from the Ambegaon agriculture office said paddy growers do not subscribe to crop insurance policy. “We do not have the capital to invest in crop policy. The government should consider this and give us compensation,” said Shankar Langhi, a paddy grower from Ahupe village.

“It was our annual crop. We do not know how we will manage throughout the year,” said Sachin Lembe, another grower from Malin village.