February 14, Colombo (LNW): In a move aimed at supporting local farmers, the Agriculture Ministry of Sri Lanka announced on Monday (12) its decision to provide free insurance coverage for red onion cultivation. This initiative is part of the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the interests of farmers by offering free insurance for various crops.
Currently, the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board already provides free agricultural insurance coverage for six types of crops, including paddy, chillies, big onions, potatoes, maize, and soya. The coverage extends to protect against crop damage caused by factors such as wild elephants, drought, and heavy rain.
With a renewed focus on expanding red onion cultivation in Sri Lanka this year, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera directed the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board to include red onion cultivation in the list of crops eligible for free insurance coverage. This decision aims to provide compensation to farmers in case of crop damage resulting from the specified factors.
The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has taken proactive steps to offer compensation, with an allocation of Rs. 40,000 per acre and Rs. 100,000 for one hectare of red onion cultivation. Minister Amaraweera emphasized the importance of promptly providing this compensation to farmers facing losses due to crop damage.
The announcement was made during a discussion held at the Agriculture Ministry on Monday, where Minister Amaraweera engaged with officials from the Agrarian Development Department and the Agriculture Ministry.
