Kashmir’s apple growers remain without crop insurance, with the Jammu and Kashmir government telling the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) has yet to be implemented for horticultural crops in the Union Territory.
The Agriculture Production Department will invite fresh bids after the Centre finalises revised operational guidelines for the scheme, the government said in response to a question by CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.
“The department had earlier invited bids from empanelled insurance companies for horticultural and commercial crops. Four bids were received for traditional and high-density apple and saffron in Kashmir, and five for mango, litchi and saffron in Jammu,” it said.
The government informed that the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) emerged as the lowest bidder for Kashmir, while Tata AIG was the lowest bidder for Jammu. AIC quoted premiums ranging from 10% to 39% in Kashmir, compared with 26.41% to 41% in Jammu.
“For traditional apple in Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara, the quoted premium was 34%. Saffron premiums in some districts ranged from 37% to 39%, above the 30% threshold,” it said.
According to the government the 2025-26 bid block, involved a proposed sum insured of Rs 6,594.93 crore against a premium of Rs 1,280.87 crore.
Farmers’ share was estimated at Rs 329.75 crore, while the government contribution was Rs 950.93 crore.
“J&K’s share was Rs 182.35 crore, including Rs 85.39 crore towards premiums within the 30% threshold and Rs 96.96 crore towards the amount above it. The Centre’s 90% share of the subsidised premium was estimated at Rs 768.57 crore,” it said.
The J&K Finance Department, in a March 16, 2026, communication, advised the Agriculture Production Department to issue a fresh tender covering all 20 districts for “administrative synchronisation, uniformity in implementation and alignment with national policy decisions.”
The Centre had issued similar advice on February 4, asking J&K to prepare a fresh tender for all 20 districts in view of proposed changes to the operational guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and RWBCIS.
The revised framework was envisaged for implementation from Kharif 2026.
A Centre-appointed subcommittee constituted in September 2025 has been working to standardise insurance term sheets for apple, banana, grape, mango and pomegranate under RWBCIS.
J&K held discussions with the Centre and the subcommittee on June 13 and July 29 to finalise the apple terms.
The department said both apple term sheets have now been finalised.
The subcommittee is completing its work, after which the revised guidelines will be followed by fresh bidding in Jammu and Kashmir.
The government has not specified when the contracts will be awarded or insurance coverage will begin.
The delay leaves Kashmir’s apple growers without formal weather-based cover against recurring losses from hailstorms, frost, heavy snowfall, flash floods, cloudbursts and other weather-related events.
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