A.P. Farmers’ Association demands free crop insurance, opposes private insurers

The Andhra Pradesh Farmers’ Association on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) urged the State government to provide free crop insurance for all farmers and tenant cultivators, while opposing the involvement of private insurance companies in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme.

In a statement issued here, Association State president V. Krishnaiah and secretary K. Prabhakar Reddy stated that the media reports indicated that the government had issued orders for crop insurance coverage during the 2026-27 Kharif and Rabi seasons. However, under the new guidelines, farmers would be required to pay their share of the insurance premium to become eligible for coverage. They also alleged that despite paying premiums in the past two years, many farmers failed to receive compensation because the government did not release its share of the premium.

They demanded that the government withdraw the farmer-contribution model and instead implement universal, free crop insurance for all food, commercial, and horticultural crops covered under the e-Crop system, with the State bearing the entire premium. The association leaders argued that adverse weather conditions and recurring crop losses had made comprehensive insurance essential to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.

Opposing the participation of private insurance companies, they stated that crop insurance should be implemented entirely through public agencies to protect farmers’ interests.

Criticising the government for calling itself farmer-friendly while asking cultivators to pay insurance premiums, the association leaders stated that the policy would increase farmers’ financial burden and reduce access to insurance benefits. They urged the government to amend the recently issued orders and to immediately introduce a fully government-funded crop insurance scheme for all eligible farmers and tenant farmers.