Government extends time to non-loanee farmers to insure kharif crops

NEW DELHI: Government today extended the deadline for non-loanee farmers till September 15 to insure kharif crops under the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme ( NAIS), a move expected to benefit farmers who delayed sowing due to poor rains.

Under NAIS, the deadline to insure 2015 kharif crops for loanee farmers is till September 30, while for non-loanees it was till July 31. The NAIS is being implemented by state-run Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC).

"The government has extended period for non-loanee farmers from July 31 to September 15 under the NAIS. This will benefit farmers in states which had low rainfall or late rain and delayed planting," Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

However, it did not provide any further details.

But sources said, non-loanee farmers who have sown kharif crops between August 1 and September 15 would be eligible to apply for crop insurance.

The decision has been taken in the interest of farmers in states where delayed and low rainfall has been reported," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.

The Minister has urged the state governments to publicise the decision of extension of the period of crop insurance for non-loanne so that they can take advantage.

The cut-off date to insure this year's kharif crops has been extended following request from Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Gujarat governments.

Under the NAIS, there is a fixed premium -- which is borne equally by the Centre and the state -- for food and oilseeds crops. In case of horticultural crops, the premium rate is set on actuarial basis.

The sowing of kharif (summer) crops begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. So far, more than 80 per cent of the total farm area has been sown. But in some states, planting has got delayed due to poor rains.