AP govt extends Paddy insurance enrolment deadline to August 31

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh administration has extended the deadline for enrolment of paddy farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) up to August 31, giving farmers throughout all paddy-growing regions of the State extra time to insure their crops.

Key points

• Other districts with substantial insurance coverage include Nandyal with 99, 702 hectares, Prakasam with 84, 544 hectares, YSR with 83, 548 hectares, Srikakulam with 74, 123 hectares and Palnadu with 56, 018 hectares.
• Anantapur district has topped the State in terms of insured area, with 3, 66, 802 hectares covered under the two schemes.
• Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu additionally during the Assembly session had strongly appealed to farmers to ensure full coverage of their crops under insurance schemes.
• The department appealed to paddy farmers to complete their insurance enrolment on or before August 31 and not wait until the final day.
• The State has witnessed a significant improvement in crop insurance enrolment during the current Kharif season.

Meanwhile, the extension follows a proactive proposal created by the State Administration. It received a positive response from the Central Administration in the interest of farmers. The move is aimed at ensuring that eligible paddy cultivators, particularly those in vulnerable areas, are brought under the crop insurance network and protected against notified risks.

Meanwhile, the State has witnessed a significant improvement in crop insurance enrolment during the current Kharif season. Both the number of applications and the area covered under crop insurance have rose substantially compared with the previous year. Andhra Pradesh has secured fifth position nationally in crop insurance enrolment. So far, a total of 16, 15, 340 hectares has been covered under the yield-based and weather-based crop insurance schemes in the State during Kharif 2026. While another 5, 99, 904 hectares have been covered under the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), of the total area insured, 10, 15, 436 hectares have been covered under PMFBY.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu additionally during the Assembly session had strongly appealed to farmers to ensure full coverage of their crops under insurance schemes. He particularly pressed farmers in high-risk areas to take adequate precautions in view of the possibility of adverse weather conditions associated with El Niño.

Anantapur district has topped the State in terms of insured area, with 3, 66, 802 hectares covered under the two schemes. It is followed by Kurnool with 3, 31, 059 hectares and Sri Sathya Sai with 2, 31, 082 hectares.

Other districts with substantial insurance coverage include Nandyal with 99, 702 hectares, Prakasam with 84, 544 hectares, YSR with 83, 548 hectares, Srikakulam with 74, 123 hectares and Palnadu with 56, 018 hectares. While Konaseema and West Godavari recorded 31, 685 hectares and 32, 533 hectares respectively, annamayya recorded 21, 309 hectares.

For context, the Agriculture Department has directed field-level staff to intensify awareness campaigns and reach out to farmers who have not yet enrolled. Authorities have been asked to coordinate with farmers, insurance businesses and other stakeholders to facilitate enrollment and achieve the target of 100 per cent coverage of the cultivated area.

Notably, the department has given special emphasis to the traditional paddy-growing coastal districts, where authorities have been instructed to utilise the extended period effectively. Farmers are additionally being educated on the importance of crop insurance and the financial protection it provides in the event of crop losses caused by notified risks and adverse weather conditions.

"The extension of the deadline provides a valuable opportunity to ensure that every eligible paddy farmer is brought under the insurance net. Authorities should work closely with farmers and other stakeholders to achieve 100 per cent coverage and ensure that no farmer is left out due to lack of awareness, " stated Manazir Jeelani Samoon, Director of Agriculture.

For crops other than paddy, farmers have been advised to approach their respective Agriculture Officers or the concerned insurance firms for district-specific enrolment details and applicable last dates.

Meanwhile, the department appealed to paddy farmers to complete their insurance enrolment on or before August 31 and not wait until the final day. Authorities have additionally been instructed to step up field-level mobilisation so that the extended opportunity translates into maximum insurance coverage throughout the State.

For now, AP govt extends Paddy insurance enrolment deadline to August 31 remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.