The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board (AAIB) has implemented an Agricultural Insurance Pension Scheme yesterday. It benefits not only farmers but also those in other professions.
It was set up yesterday at the Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute, Colombo 7 under the patronage of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. Fifty nine pensioners were provided with insurance beneficiary certificates by the Minister on the occasion. Agriculture State Minister Mohan de Silva, Livestock State Minister D. B. Herath and Agriculture Insurance Board Chairman W.M. M. B.Weerasekera and others were present.
“When I was the Agriculture Minister in 2018, chili, paddy, maize, soybean, potato and big onion farmers were provided with an insurance policy and Rs. 40,000 was paid per acre whenever there is a crop damage. Rs. 1 lakh was provided as compensation. Now farmers request to increase this amount. Therefore, the Agricultural Insurance Board was advised to provide Rs. 5 lakh per acre by charging a small premium. We will start this insurance system as soon as possible,” Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
“Maha season cultivation has begun now. Urea required for paddy and maize is being distributed. Both urea and MOP will be provided for this season. Some say there is no mud fertilizer. However, except two districts of the Eastern Province, the soil contains phosphorus. Even if we try to provide MOP, we are not able to give money or buy them. But the USAID will provide 36,000 MT of MOP fertilizer next January. Then, free MOP will be provided to the farmers in the Yala season,” the Minister added.
“We provided 100 kg of urea per hectare in the last Yala season. This time, 170 kg of urea per hectare will be provided. Therefore, the claims by some political parties that fertilizers are not available are wrong. President Ranil Wickremesinghe will provide maximum relief to the farmers,” the Minister said.
