The Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government disclosed in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 24 September 2026, that 12,89,917 farmers across the union territory have been covered under crop insurance schemes, with claims worth ₹221.71 crore disbursed since 2017-18. The data was tabled in response to questions from legislators Farooq Ahmed Shah, Irfan Hafiz Lone, and Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Mir.

Scheme Coverage and Reach

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme are currently operational across all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Minister in charge of Agriculture Production stated that both schemes are demand-driven and open to all eligible farmer families in the union territory.

According to data presented in the Assembly, approximately 13.985 lakh farmer families are eligible to avail benefits under these schemes, subject to prescribed guidelines. Of these, 12.89 lakh have been brought under coverage — a participation rate of roughly 92% of eligible families.

Key Data: Claims and Coverage Since 2017

Between 2017-18 and 2025-26, a total area of 6.86 lakh hectares was brought under insurance coverage. During the same period, 3,72,134 crop insurance claims were settled, with cumulative disbursements reaching ₹221.71 crore.

The highest single-season participation was recorded during Kharif 2025-26, when 2,01,480 farmers were covered across all 20 districts. In that season alone, 93,680 claims were settled, with compensation amounting to ₹54.80 crore — roughly a quarter of the total disbursed over nearly a decade.

Coverage Expansion Across Districts

The government noted that PMFBY coverage, previously limited to select districts, has since been extended to the entire union territory. This expansion has widened access to insurance benefits for farmers who are most vulnerable to weather-related losses and crop damage, particularly in remote areas.

Why This Matters: A Year of Severe Weather Damage

The disclosure comes as Jammu and Kashmir has endured one of its most damaging weather years in recent memory. Landslides, cloudbursts, hailstorms, and torrential rain have caused extensive losses to fruit orchards and field crops across the region.

The apple-growing districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama in South Kashmir have been particularly hard hit by hailstorms, with growers reporting heavy losses to their orchards this season. The record claims volume in Kharif 2025-26 is widely seen as a direct reflection of that damage.

With weather volatility likely to persist, the administration's ability to sustain scheme participation and settle claims promptly will be closely watched by farming communities across the union territory.