Crop Insurance Scheme for Kashmir orchards: A welcome move

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Ziraat Times
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In a much-needed relief, the Horticulture Department Kashmir announced last week that crop insurance for apple orchards will finally be available starting March 2025. This long-overdue initiative could go a long way in protecting Kashmir’s fruit farmers from the increasingly erratic weather patterns that have wreaked havoc on the its apple orchards in recent years. While this is a welcome step, its early and effective implementation will be key to ensuring that the high input-cost horticulture industry can survive and thrive.

Kashmir’s horticulture sector is the backbone of its economy, directly or indirectly supporting over 700,000 families. The apple industry alone contributes around 10% to J&K’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), making it vital for the state’s economic health. However, in recent years, this sector has faced repeated blows from adverse weather conditions—heavy rains, hailstorms, and unseasonably low temperatures—leaving orchard owners vulnerable to massive financial losses.

The latest hailstorm that struck Shopian and Kulgam districts on September 2, 2024, has only added to this burden. According to initial estimates, around 50-60% of the apple crop in the affected areas has been damaged, with some villages reporting extensive losses. What makes this situation worse is that the storm hit just before the harvest, compounding the difficulties for growers who were preparing for a season of income generation. The damage is widespread, and the urgency to provide relief is palpable.

In this context, the introduction of crop insurance is timely. If all goes as per plans, starting in March 2025, apple growers will be able to insure their crops against losses caused by hailstorms, adverse weather conditions, and low temperatures. The insurance scheme is designed to be affordable for farmers, with the government bearing 95% of the premium and farmers paying only 5%. This subsidy makes the scheme accessible and ensures that farmers, who are already grappling with rising costs and diminishing returns, do not face an additional financial burden.

While the announcement is a positive development, it is essential that the government moves swiftly to roll out the scheme. Delaying its implementation would leave farmers exposed to yet another season of unpredictable weather. The damage caused by the recent storm is a stark reminder that weather-related disasters can strike at any time, leaving devastating consequences in their wake.

It is worth noting that this scheme has been long-promised but is yet to be put into action, despite repeated calls from farmer organizations. The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union has been urging the government to implement the crop insurance scheme for years. Farmers need this insurance not as a luxury, but as a necessity to safeguard their livelihoods.

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