Sonebhadra Farmers Turn Away From Crop Insurance as Enrolment Drops Sharply in Four Years
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonebhadra district appear to be losing interest in crop insurance, with enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) falling sharply from its peak level over the past four years.
District-level figures show that the number of insured farmers rose to 56,959 in 2022-23 but later declined to 47,087 in 2023-24 and then dropped further to just 25,745 in 2024-25. Although enrolment recovered to 34,977 in 2025-26, it remained far below the 2022-23 level.
The decline is significant because crop insurance is intended to protect farmers from financial losses caused by notified natural risks. But delayed or disputed claim payments, lack of awareness about reporting procedures and operational difficulties appear to be weakening confidence in the scheme at the local level.
Crop Insurance Enrolment in Sonebhadra: The Numbers
The available district figures show a clear change in farmer participation:
| Year | Number of Farmers Insured |
|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 33,407 |
| 2022-23 | 56,959 |
| 2023-24 | 47,087 |
| 2024-25 | 25,745 |
| 2025-26 | 34,977 |
The fall from 56,959 farmers in 2022-23 to 25,745 in 2024-25 represents a decline of more than half in just two years. Even after the recovery in 2025-26, enrolment was still roughly 22,000 farmers below the 2022-23 peak.
This trend suggests that the issue is not simply a temporary fall in participation. Farmers who have had poor experiences with claims may be reconsidering whether paying for insurance provides sufficient value.
Why Are Farmers Losing Interest in PMFBY?
The biggest issue appears to be the gap between having insurance coverage and actually receiving compensation when crops are damaged.
Under PMFBY, farmers may need to follow specific procedures depending on the nature of the loss. For certain localised calamities and post-harvest losses, timely reporting is particularly important, with the scheme's operational process requiring quick intimation in applicable cases.
In Sonebhadra, the lack of awareness about these procedures has been identified as one of the factors affecting farmer participation. The district has 10 blocks, and reports indicate that many farmers may struggle to complete the claim process or report crop losses within the required timeframe.
For a farmer whose crop has already been damaged by a natural disaster, navigating deadlines, helplines and verification procedures can become another challenge.
The result is simple: if a farmer pays a premium but experiences delays or does not receive compensation, the willingness to enrol again can decline.
Claims Were Paid, But Participation Still Fell
The picture is not entirely one-sided. Thousands of farmers in Sonebhadra have received crop insurance compensation.
According to district-level figures:
In 2023-24, 11,764 farmers received compensation totalling ₹867.66 lakh.
In 2024-25, 7,829 farmers received ₹733.87 lakh.
For Kharif 2025-26, 6,425 farmers received ₹1,194.56 lakh, while claim processing for the Rabi season was still continuing according to the latest local report.
A separate report in May 2026 said around ₹9.27 crore was transferred to 6,425 insured farmers in Sonebhadra for Kharif 2025 claims.
These payments show that the scheme does provide financial support to eligible farmers. However, the participation data indicates that successful payouts to some farmers have not been enough to maintain confidence across the wider farming community.
That distinction matters. A crop insurance programme is judged not only by the total amount paid but also by how easily farmers can access the system, understand the rules and receive compensation when eligible.
The Shift From Mandatory to Voluntary Participation
Another important factor behind changing enrolment numbers is the voluntary nature of PMFBY participation.
The scheme is no longer structured around compulsory insurance participation for loanee farmers in the way it was earlier. This means farmers have greater choice over whether to insure their crops.
In Sonebhadra's Kharif 2026 cycle, local authorities stated that the scheme was voluntary. Farmers who did not want insurance were required to follow the applicable opt-out procedure, while the enrolment deadline for eligible crop-loan holders was set for August 31.
Voluntary participation can improve farmer choice, but it also creates a new challenge: farmers who are dissatisfied with previous claim experiences can simply choose not to enrol in the following season.
That appears to be one possible explanation for the long-term decline in participation.
Kharif 2026 Numbers Show the Challenge Continues
The latest Kharif season figures also point to weak enrolment momentum.
As of August 29, 2026, only 15,812 farmers in Sonebhadra had insured their crops, compared with 19,080 farmers in the previous Kharif season. The deadline was August 31, meaning thousands of additional farmers would have needed to enrol in the final days to match the previous year's level.
The timing of the enrolment process may also have affected participation.
Local reporting indicated that the PMFBY portal for the season started late, with orders issued on August 4. Non-loanee farmers initially had a limited enrolment window, while technical problems reportedly affected the portal during its early days.
This highlights an important policy lesson: even a useful government scheme can lose participants if farmers are given too little time, face technical problems or do not receive clear information about deadlines.
What Crops Are Covered in Sonebhadra?
For Kharif 2026, the notified crops in Sonebhadra included:
Paddy
Maize
Sorghum
Black gram
Sesame
Pigeon pea
Farmers were required to pay up to 2% of the applicable sum insured as their premium for Kharif crops, while the remaining eligible premium burden is supported under the scheme's government subsidy structure.
The insurance company named for the district's Kharif 2026 implementation was SBI General Insurance.
For farmers, however, the key question is not just how low the premium is. It is whether the insurance system delivers a reliable financial cushion when a genuine crop loss occurs.
Why This Matters for Rural Finance
Crop insurance is an important part of India's agricultural risk-management system.
Agriculture is exposed to irregular rainfall, floods, droughts, pests, diseases and other risks that can destroy a farmer's income in a single season. A functioning insurance programme can reduce the financial shock and potentially prevent farmers from falling deeper into debt after a major loss.
But declining enrolment creates a serious problem.
When fewer farmers participate:
More farmers remain financially exposed to crop losses.
The effectiveness of insurance as a risk-management tool can weaken.
Government efforts to expand financial protection in agriculture face an implementation challenge.
The Sonebhadra trend therefore has significance beyond one district. It raises questions about farmer awareness, claim settlement, digital access and the trust required for voluntary insurance schemes to work effectively.
What Should Farmers Check Before Buying Crop Insurance?
Farmers considering PMFBY coverage should verify the details before the enrolment deadline.
Important checks include:
Whether the crop is notified under the scheme.
Whether the correct crop and land area are recorded.
The premium amount being charged.
The insurance company's details.
The procedure for reporting crop damage.
The deadline for submitting a claim where individual loss reporting is required.
For Kharif 2026, local authorities directed farmers facing crop damage to use the official toll-free number 14447 for reporting eligible losses.
Keeping an acknowledgement, application record and relevant crop or land documents can also help farmers track their insurance status.
The Bottom Line
The sharp fall in Sonebhadra crop insurance enrolment reflects a growing challenge for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana at the ground level.
The number of insured farmers fell from 56,959 in 2022-23 to 25,745 in 2024-25 before partially recovering to 34,977 in 2025-26. Delays in claims, difficulties with the reporting process, limited awareness and seasonal enrolment issues appear to be among the factors affecting farmer confidence.
PMFBY remains an important financial protection mechanism, and compensation has reached thousands of farmers in the district. But the enrolment trend shows that low premiums alone may not be enough. For a voluntary insurance scheme to succeed, farmers must trust that the process is understandable, accessible and capable of delivering timely support after crop losses.
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