Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd (AIC) would release the insurance payouts to eligible coffee growers in Karnataka by the end of November 2007. The payouts are against the Rainfall Insurance Scheme for Coffee (RISC), which was introduced for the first time in the country by the AIC in association with the Coffee Board in last May.
According to Coffee Board, rainfall insurance is a mechanism, which protects the coffee grower against anticipated shortfall in yield arising out of deviations in rainfall within a specific area and period.
The package provides payout against deficit rainfall in blossom showers and backing showers and excess rainfall during monsoon rains. Though the scheme was implemented in Karnataka and Kerala for the monsoon shower insurance during May 2007, only Karnataka growers availed the scheme.
The coffee zones eligible for claims (per hectare) under RISC in three coffee growing districts of Karnataka are Shanivarasanthe, Mudigere, Mallandur and Yeslur (Rs 8,000 for Arabica and Rs 6,000 for Robusta), Shrimangala, Madikeri, Napoklu, Kalasa, Koppa and Hanbal (Rs 5,000 for Arabica and Rs 4,000 for Robusta) and Somwarpet, Gonibeedu and Balehonnur (Rs 3,000 for Arabica and Rs 2,000 for Robusta).