Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday launched the weather-based crop insurance scheme (WBCIS) in the state. WBCIS helps farmers against financial losses due to adverse weather conditions like rainfall, temperature, humidity, frost and others.
The scheme, in the first phase, will cover red chilli crop, both irrigated and unirrigated, in Guntur for the kharif season-2009. All cultivators, including sharecroppers and tenant cultivators of red chilli, would be eligible for coverage.
The sum insured would be equivalent to the cost of cultivation — Rs 150,000 per hectare for irrigated red chilli and Rs 100,000 per hectare for unirrigated crop. Weather stations have been established in 42 mandals of Guntur district.
The chief minister said WBCIS should be extended to all horticulture crops in phases across the state, according to a press release.