Agriculture Department urges Himachal farmers to insure crops by Aug 15

The Agriculture Department has urged farmers in the district to insure their maize and paddy crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) by August 15.

Deputy Director Agriculture Bhupendra Singh said the deadline for crop insurance had been extended in the interest of farmers so that more cultivators could avail themselves of the benefits of the scheme.

He said that under the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme for the kharif season-2026, insurance for cabbage could be obtained up to August 31, while the deadline for tomato crop insurance was August 15.

The schemes provide financial assistance to farmers in the event of crop damage caused by natural calamities, excessive rainfall, hailstorms or other adverse weather conditions.

For maize and paddy under the PMFBY, farmers will have to pay a premium of Rs 96 per bigha. In case of crop damage, compensation of up to Rs 4,800 per bigha will be provided, subject to assessment.

Under the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme, the premium for cabbage has been fixed at Rs 600 per bigha, while farmers growing tomatoes will have to pay Rs 800 per bigha. In the event of crop damage, compensation of up to Rs 12,000 per bigha for cabbage and Rs 16,000 per bigha for tomatoes will be provided, according to the Agriculture Department.

The department said farmers could register for crop insurance through Lok Mitra Kendras, Common Service Centres, banks or the online portal by submitting the required documents.

Singh appealed to farmers to complete the insurance process within the stipulated deadlines and avail themselves of the schemes to protect their crops against weather-related losses.

For further information and assistance with registration, farmers can contact their nearest Agriculture Department office. They can also contact the district representatives of the insurance companies: Bhuvnesh Kumar (98166-27278) of the Agricultural Insurance Company and Madan Kumar (82194-38857) of Kshema General Insurance Company.