IN a move that could bring significant relief to farmers across Jammu and Kashmir, the government is working on introducing a weather-based crop insurance scheme in the Union Territory.
The proposed scheme has been a long-standing demand, particularly in Kashmir, where horticulture—especially apple cultivation—forms the backbone of the local economy. Kashmir accounts for nearly 75 per cent of the country’s total apple production, making weather-related disruptions a major concern for growers.
Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar said the government is actively working towards implementing the weather-based crop insurance scheme.
“A committee has been constituted to prepare a revised insurance policy. The process is underway and the scheme is expected to be implemented within the next two to three months,” Dar said.
According to officials, the insurance programme is likely to be introduced in phases. During the initial phase, one crop each from the Kashmir and Jammu regions may be selected for coverage before the scheme is expanded further.
Farmer groups in the Valley have welcomed the proposal, saying such a scheme is urgently needed given the increasing frequency of weather-related losses.
“We have repeatedly urged the authorities to provide insurance cover for apple crops, but it has not materialised so far. We continue to wait for its implementation,” said Javid Ahmad, President of the Pulwama Fruit Association in South Kashmir.
He said crop insurance would provide much-needed financial protection to growers affected by natural calamities such as hailstorms, heavy snowfall and unseasonal weather events.
Over the years, fruit growers in Kashmir have suffered substantial losses due to adverse weather conditions, including hailstorms, untimely snowfall, heavy rains and prolonged dry spells. In the absence of a comprehensive insurance mechanism, many farmers have had to bear the losses on their own.
Weather experts have also pointed out that increasing climatic variability and erratic weather patterns are affecting the Valley’s horticulture sector, raising concerns over production and farm incomes.
The demand for crop insurance has also been strongly advocated by the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers’ Union. The organisation, led by its Chairman Bashir Ahmad Basheer, has written to the Union Government seeking implementation of a crop insurance scheme for the horticulture sector on the lines of existing agricultural insurance programmes.
The Union has argued that a weather-based crop insurance scheme would serve as a crucial safety net for marginal fruit growers and provide timely financial support during natural disasters.
With climate-related risks becoming increasingly frequent, growers believe the proposed insurance scheme could offer long-awaited protection and stability to one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most important economic sectors.
