Gyeonggi-do to Provide 6 Billion Won for Crop Disaster Insurance, Aiming for 37% Enrollment Rate

Gyeonggi-do is strengthening its support for crop disaster insurance to proactively respond to natural disasters caused by climate change.

Crop disaster insurance, introduced in 2001, has seen a steady increase in enrollment rates, reaching 34% in 2024. Gyeonggi-do has set its target enrollment rate at 37% for this year.

In response to the increasing frequency of natural disasters due to climate change, such as the record-breaking snowfall in November last year, Gyeonggi-do has increased its support budget for this year by 1 billion won compared to the previous year, allocating a total of 6 billion won so that all farmers wishing to enroll can do so.

In addition, for various agricultural facility support programs promoted by Gyeonggi-do and city and county governments?such as the fruit crop frost damage prevention facility support project and the facility horticulture heating system support project?priority will be given to farms that have crop disaster insurance.

In particular, the fruit crop frost damage prevention facility support project is being implemented for the first time this year among metropolitan governments by Gyeonggi-do. For apple and pear farms that install frost prevention equipment such as wind machines or micro-sprinkler systems, the insurance premium discount rate will be increased from the previous 20% to 25%.

Gyeonggi-do Crop Disaster Insurance Information Poster

Gyeonggi-do has also proposed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to expand the list of insurable flower crops, such as potted plants, and to establish compensation regulations for heatwave damage to fruit crops, aiming for field-oriented policy improvements.

This year, the number of insurance-eligible items in Gyeonggi-do will increase from 56 to 63. Eight new items, including cabbage, broccoli, and carrot, will be added, while one existing item, facility-grown potato, will be excluded. The number of pest and disease coverage items will also increase from four to six, including the addition of 'apple anthracnose.'

To raise awareness of the need for crop disaster insurance in response to climate change, Gyeonggi-do plans to actively promote the necessity and benefits of the insurance through collaboration with related organizations such as the Agricultural Research and Extension Services and the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation.

Park Jongmin, Director of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Life Sciences at Gyeonggi-do, stated, "Gyeonggi-do is proactively responding to climate change and natural disasters by making practical improvements to the crop disaster insurance system and reducing the burden on farmers. We will continue our efforts so that farmers can carry out their agricultural activities in a more stable environment."