CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced that the state would disburse crop insurance to the tune of Rs 560 crore towards harvest loss suffered by six lakh farmers in the state.

Stating that though about 46 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was harvested during the samba crop season in 2022-23 financial year, mild drought caused by shortfall in rainfall during the northeast monsoon season had contributed to farmers in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi suffering crop loss to the extent of over 33 per cent in 3,52,797 acres.

Pointing out that the government distributed Rs 181.40 crore to 1,87,275 farmers from the state disaster relief fund on September 4, the Chief Minister said that under the crop insurance scheme, Rs 560 crore would be deposited in the accounts of six lakh eligible farmers in the said districts in accordance with the scheme provisions towards crop loss suffered due to drought, flood, cyclone, unseasonal rainfall and other natural calamities that affected nearly seven lakh acres in Tamil Nadu.