Govt. urged to extend last date to pay crop insurance premium by farmers

Delta farmers have urged the government to extend the deadline for insuring the rabi paddy crop by a fortnight.

In a memorandum submitted to the State government, G.

Srinivasan of Ganapathi Agraharam, a progressive farmer, pointed out that several farmers in Delta districts were unable to complete samba nursery transplantation as planned.

This was due to the climatic conditions clubbed with the labour shortage problems, ‘Deepavali’ holidays, and the storage level at Mettur.

Claiming that meeting the deadline of November 15 for payment of crop insurance premium by beneficiary farmers would be difficult, he appealed to the State government to take steps along with the Union government for extending the last date for payment of premium by another fortnight.

Expressing a similar demand, Sethuraman of Dharasuram, another progressive farmer from the old Cauvery Delta region, pointed out that the actual area of cultivation could be ascertained only after the completion of transplantation.

Even at several places in the old Cauvery Delta area, which has the added advantage of borewell irrigation facility, the transplantation exercise was yet to get completed.

Though there was a provision to apply for crop insurance by attaching the “cultivation certificate” issued by the village administrative officer, the farmer might land in trouble if he fails or was unable to complete the transplantation as planned or covered the area that was less than what was indicated in the “cultivation certificate” for various reasons, he pointed out.

.