Lemon farmers in Nellore urged to take crop insurance amid El Niño threat

Fearing that the El Niño condition is likely to damage the lemon orchards in the SPSR Nellore district, the administration has advised farmers to utilise the weather-based crop insurance scheme provided by the Government of India and the State of Andhra Pradesh.Speaking to The Hindu, District Horticulture Officer (DHO) M.V. Subbareddy said, “Lime is the major horticulture crop in the district. More than 14,000 farmers are cultivating lemons across 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres).”He stated that every lemon farmer in the district should opt for the insurance scheme. “If the lemon crop is damaged due to rainfall, temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity during the period of insurance, the farmers will be provided with an insurance of ₹1.20 lakh per hectare,” he said.The DHO further stat