HP doubles insurance premium on apples

Horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi added that the amount has also been hiked for mango, from ₹620 to ₹720

Himachal government has raised the premium for apple plants under the crop insurance scheme from ₹800 per tree to ₹1,500, horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Saturday.

Horticulture minister Jagat Singh Negi (HT File)

He added that the amount has also been hiked for mango, from ₹620 to ₹720. The compensation being provided to the farmers will stay the same.

The minister said that the ambit of crop insurance has been expanded to include various fruits, such as citrus fruits, peach, plum, litchi, guava and pomegranate. Negi emphasised that discussions with insurance companies led to the adjustment of insurance amounts to better reflect value of the crops.

Negi added that 36 blocks for apples, 65 for mangoes, 29 for plums, 16 for peaches and 58 for citrus fruits have been earmarked for crop insurance across the state. Additionally, new entrants like pomegranate, litchi, and guava have been allotted 21, 38 and 22 blocks, respectively.

Negi claimed that the BJP was impeding the state government’s progress, and cited discrepancies in cess payments, alleging that the BJP was obstructing initiatives in Himachal despite similar impositions in Uttarakhand.

Negi urged farmers in the state to embrace crop insurance, emphasising the support available from the horticulture department in case of any issues.