Agroinsurance

Canada - Niagara vineyards suffer serious winter damage

Heavy rain and cold air severely damaged Niagara’s grape vines last winter, and early signs show growers could lose 50 per cent or more of their crops this year.

Italy - Po Valley farmers living through worst drought for 70 years

Ships from World War II resurface in the Po River; water levels are 7ft lower than average; temperatures in June are 3.5 degrees higher; in the first five months of 2022, rainfall is down about 50% over the past 30 years, and this spring was the fifth warmest since 1880.

India - Climate change is driving heat waves, increasing wheat prices

Record-setting heat waves plaguing India are threatening crop yields amid increased global demand for grains. In response, the Indian government recently imposed a ban on wheat exports.

Canada - Crop report for the period of June 21 to June 27, 2022

Though there was general precipitation across the province this past week, additional rainfall is still needed in many areas. Some regions experienced flooding and drowned-out crops due to receiving extremely high volumes of rain in a short period of time; producers in these areas hope this water will soak in quickly and the effect on crops will be minimal.

India - UP government to hold special campaign to provide crop insurance to farmers

The state government has decided to conduct a special drive during the first week of July in order to give insurance coverage to farmers against probable crop damages.

Ireland - Met Éireann warns of potato blight risk across eight counties

Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow warning for potato blight conditions across eight counties in the midlands, the east and the border region.

Spain - It was a really bad citrus campaign

According to the Observatory of Prices and Markets of the Junta de Andalucia's latest report on the citrus campaign, corresponding to weeks 23 and 24, this year's orange campaign was really bad and has come to an end due to the shortage of operations.

Italy - A trap against the brown marmorated stink bug that uses pheromones and vibrations

There are few active principles that can be used against the brown marmorated stink bug(Halyomorpha halys) and the number of treatments available is limited, this is why producers are choosing traps more and more.

Spain - Jumilla's pear production has fallen by 40-50% because of the spring rains

Murcia is an important producer of summer fruit. It is the country's leading melon supplier, as well as a producer of watermelon and stone fruit. In the following weeks, it will complete its summer fruit offer with the Jumilla pear, a fruit whose differentiated quality has been ratified at the community level with the recognition of a protected designation of origin. However, the spring weather has had a decisive impact on its production.

USA - USDA has issued more than $4 billion in Emergency Relief Program payments to date

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that to date, agricultural producers have already received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), representing approximately 67% of the more than $6 billion projected to be paid through this first phase of the program.

Brazil - Climate change poses growing challenges for rural insurers

Rural insurance in Brazil has seen a rapid acceleration in premium growth for property/casualty insurers, as it has become an increasingly important tool used by agricultural producers to mitigate the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events that can pressure production levels and profitability, Fitch Ratings says.

New tech helping to “predict” adverse events in real-time

A move towards prevention through predictive technologies will become commonplace in certain insurance sectors, according to the chief strategy and business development officer at the global insurer, AXA.

USA - High temperatures take toll on Texas crops

The high temperatures crops experienced over recent weeks across much of the state could translate into lower yields for producers. Lee Tarpley,Ph.D., AgriLife Research plant physiologist, Beaumont,said the recent heat wave arrived at a bad time for rice fields along the Gulf Coast.

Uganda - Crop losses threaten food security

During last November’s harvest season, farmers in Gulu district in northern Uganda had little to celebrate. Alice Aber, who runs a small food business in Gulu district’s Palaro town, says she was expecting a big harvest.

Ireland - Proposed EU pesticide cuts could threaten potato growing

A proposed move by the EU to halve pesticide usage by 2030 could wipe out potato growing in Ireland. Agricultural consultant and tillage specialist PJ Phelan said a compulsory pesticide reduction of 50pc would be ‘totally impractical’ in Ireland.