Skip to main content

First Group of Pear Farmers Joined the Top-grafted Pear Insurance Program, which Ushered in a New Era of Crop Insurance.

2015-11-13

  In order to minimize farmer’s losses caused by natural disasters, the Council of Agriculture (COA) has actively provided assistance to insurance firms in Taiwan on the development of crop insurance products. One of the products, the top-grafted pear insurance package which has already been approved by the Financial Supervisory Commission’s Insurance Bureau, was made commercially available since November 2. The first group of pear farmers joined the program in a contract signing ceremony held on November 13 at the Dongshih District Farmer’s Association, which ushered in a new era of crop insurance against natural disasters in Taiwan.

  COA stated that in order to encourage farmers to dissipate risks of losses caused by natural disasters, it has initiated for the first time a crop insurance program against natural disasters for pears. On November 12, the Council announced that the following insurance products are officially incorporated into the subsidy program for pear farmers: “Fubon Top-Grafted Pear Crop Insurance”, “Fubon Top-Grafted Pear Crop Insurance – Additional Insurance for Pear Scion Loss Caused by Low Temperature”, and “Fubon Top-Grafted Pear Crop Insurance (Government Aid)”. According to the Guidelines for Subsidizing Crop Insurance against Natural Disasters, farmers who join the aforementioned insurance programs can apply for subsidies up to one third of the insurance premium with a maximum allowance of NT$ 30,000. Local governments are also required to provide insurance premium subsidies according to actual agricultural policy demand in order to further alleviate farmers’ financial burden. During the 3-year trial period, the Disaster Aid Fund and the insurance programs would both be effective at the same time. Therefore, should these insured farmers suffer from losses caused by natural disasters; they would in fact receive insurance claims and partial government aid.

  Finally, COA encourages pear farmers who are interested in the insurance to inquire about the program at the nearest Farmer’s Association and sign up before December 15 since pear scion grafting work period has already begun.