Farm income insurance on the cards in J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to introduce a farm income insurance scheme during the ensuing Kharif season, which will cover the losses caused to farmers due to drought and other natural calamities.

The agriculture and horticulture departments were also working on a contingency plan to combat drought like situation in the Valley, following a prolonged dry spell threatening the Kharif crop, said R Kundal, principal secretary (agriculture).

The divisional heads of agriculture, horticulture and allied departments had been asked to to chalk out plans for these sectors' development, he added.

Kundal said instead of growing traditional crops such as wheat and rice, emphasis should be on cash crops like vegetable, flowers, pulses and other revenue-realising products like honey and mushroom.

Kundal said the government had sanctioned yet another ambitious project to boost maize production.