The Ministry of Agriculture decided yesterday (12) to provide free insurance for red onion cultivation in Sri Lanka.
Currently, the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has provided free agricultural insurance coverage for 06 types of crops. Accordingly, free insurance has been provided for paddy, chillies, big onions, potatoes, maize and soya. This insurance covers crop damage caused by wild elephants, crop damage due to drought and heavy rain.
In the year 2024, a program to expand red onion cultivation in Sri Lanka has been started again. Accordingly, the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday (12) told the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board to include red onion cultivation among the crop insurance crops in order to provide free compensation to those farmers in case of crop damage due to the above mentioned facts.
The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board has taken steps to provide compensation of Rs. 40,000 per acre and Rs. 100,000 for 01 hectare. Accordingly, the Minister was advised to take steps to provide such amount to the farmers in case of damage to red onion crop.
Yesterday (12) afternoon, the Minister revealed these facts in a discussion held with the officials of the Agriculture and Agricultural Insurance Board at the Ministry of Agriculture. A group of officials related to the Department of Agrarian Development and the Ministry of Agriculture participated in this event.