Sopore, May 23 : Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar on Saturday said the crop insurance scheme for apple growers in Kashmir is expected to be implemented within the next one-and-a-half months, with the formal process set to begin from June 1.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) on the outskirts of Sopore, minsiter Dar said the bidding process for the weather-based crop insurance scheme, covering horticulture crops including apples and saffron, is in its final stages.
“Tomorrow, the bid is going to open. We hope that in the next one or two months, the whole process will be completed and this scheme will be implemented here,” Dar said.
He said budgetary provisions have been made for the current year, with the premium to be shared between the Centre, the state, and farmers.
“The crop insurance scheme is a Government of India scheme. For the horticulture sector, we have kept saffron and apples. We have been trying for many years. Since last year, we have been trying, but no insurance company participated in the tender. Only one company came, so it was re-tendered,” the minister said.
Minister Dar said a revised policy from the Centre had delayed the process, but fresh tenders have now been floated.
On natural disaster relief for apple growers who suffered losses in north Kashmir, Dar said such cases fall under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), not the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).
“Under normal regulations, every farmer gets his own compensation based on assessment — whether it is more than 50 per cent, 35 per cent, or 60 per cent,” he said.
Responding to demands for loan waivers, Dar said the government is in constant dialogue with the Centre. “We cannot say these things publicly until something is implemented. But our effort is that we talk to the Government of India continuously on these matters,” he added.
The minister also pushed for adoption of scientific farming methods, including hail nets, for which he said the department will provide a 50 per cent subsidy.
“I have spoken to my directorate. All our farmers who come forward for hail nets, we will provide them subsidies,” Dar said, adding that advisories would be issued and ground teams deployed within two days to educate farmers. (KNS)
