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Time of India
20-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Rains and low yield hike prices of ambia bahar oranges
1 2 Nagpur: Monsoon rains and fungal yellowing have severely affected the ambia bahar orange crop in the Vidarbha region, particularly in Amravati district. This has sparked concerns of a sharp dip in yield during the season, which typically runs from September to December. Experts estimate that only 25–30% of the expected crop is likely to be harvested this year. In this scenario, farmers who have managed to protect their orchards from weather adversities and infections are now hoping for higher returns. Local growers said that prices may soar to a record Rs4,000–Rs5,000 per thousand fruits, owing to intense competition among traders for high-quality produce. In Shirsgaon Kasba, Chandur Bazar taluka, traders not just from Amravati, Warud, Morshi, and Achalpur, but also from Sausar (Madhya Pradesh), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), and Rajasthan, have shown strong interest in purchasing orange orchards, said farmer Pushpak Khapre. "This high-rate buying has created a joyful atmosphere among orange growers. However, since only one-third of the crop remains across the entire orange belt, the benefit may not reach most farmers," Khapre added. "This year, while flowering occurred in many orchards, it did not translate into fruit production. In January, citrus psyllid disease caused the drying of tree tips during the flowering and budding phase, leading to a significant gap between the number of shoots and actual fruit development," he further explained. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Earlier this year, the price of mrig bahar oranges had touched Rs55,000 per tonne. Experts now predict that by September, high-quality fruits may fetch up to Rs60 per kilogram. In Amravati district, oranges are cultivated over 82,378 hectares, of which around 65,000 hectares fall under the Ambia Bahar season. However, the yield is expected to plunge this year due to February–March temperatures rising to 40°C — a crucial period for fruit setting. The heat led to poor fruit formation and widespread fruit drop. Farmers have demanded that the insurance trigger period under the restructured weather-based fruit crop insurance scheme be extended. "As oranges are an annual crop, insurance coverage should be available year-round. Losses due to strong winds should also be included in the scheme," said Khapre, who also serves as a district-level representative for the Fruit Crop Insurance Scheme. Shridhar Thakre, director of MahaOrange, admitted that ambia bahar orange crop will be less this year. "Compared to previous years, only 20–25% of Ambia Bahar oranges remain this season. Farmers should receive an average price of Rs40,000 per tonne for good-quality fruits," he said. Additionally, unseasonal rains in May adversely affected Mrig Bahar orchards, further disrupting farmers' financial cycles."
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Maha recasts crop insurance: Isolated losses, post-harvest damage not covered
Nagpur: After the state govt scrapped the one-rupee crop insurance scheme this year, a formal notification bringing back the old system was issued on Tuesday. From this Kharif season, there will be no insurance claim for isolated calamities or post harvest damages. Farmers in Vidarbha will now have to pay premiums ranging from Rs470 to Rs1,100 per hectare to insure the region's staple crops like cotton, soyabean, tur, and paddy. Localised losses, as it is called in insurance terms, relates to losses in limited areas ranging from a single village to a group. Earlier, farmers could report such losses within 72 hours and get the claim. Now, these will not be covered. Similarly, even mid-season losses are not covered. These included losses in the middle of the crop cycle due to reasons like pest attacks or dry spells. Losses to crops stacked in the farms after harvest due to rains or other reasons are also not covered now, said officials. Now, losses will be measured by the earlier method of crop cutting experiments. Under this, random plots in 12 villages in a revenue circle are chosen prior to cultivation. The output in these farms is compared to the standard yield set for each crop in each district. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Зачем на ночь сжигают лавровый лист? Undo The insurance cover triggers if there is a drop compared to the threshold yield based on the averages of the last 10 years, said an official in the state's agriculture department. This is a time-tested method adopted since colonial times and covers all types of losses, said officials. However, sources accept that it can leave the farmers at a disadvantage too. The random farms are located in 12 villages, and a revenue circle can have 30 to 35 villages. In case there are no losses in the villages chosen for measuring the yield, the insurance claim will not trigger for any of the villages in the circle. The state govt, which introduced the one-rupee scheme in 2023, ended it in April this year. On Tuesday, the formal notification with the new conditions was issued. It was discontinued after huge fraudulent claims were made due to the nominal premium payable. Even barren plots were covered, and claims were made, leading to the decision, said an official. The move, however, has left farmers disappointed. Pushkar Khapre from Chandur Bazaar tehsil in Amravati, said this leaves hardly any scope for covering the losses. Only crop cutting experiments cannot be relied on; sometimes isolated losses also leave farmers in distress. Khapre represents the district's crop insurance committee. Activist Vijay Jawandhia said even the threshold yield to measure the losses needs to be revised, and crop cutting experiments should happen at each village.
