A new insurance scheme for tuber and vegetable cultivations has been introduced by the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board.

Accordingly, crops recommended by the Department of Agriculture, including sweet potatoes, cassava, yams, beetroot, cabbage, carrot, leeks, brinjal, okra, beans, capsicum, tomatoes, bitter gourd and pumpkin, will be covered under this insurance scheme.

Farmers can obtain insurance coverage by paying a premium of only 7% of the basic insured value. Compensation will be provided for losses caused by natural disasters, uncontrollable plant diseases, insect damage and wild elephant attacks.

The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board stated that the main objective of the scheme is to retain farmers in cultivation by helping them manage agricultural risks effectively.