Farmers urged to consider insurance cover for crops

Insurance experts are urging farmers to consider cover for crops amid risks in farming.

Drought, floods, hail, frost and wildfires are among the many risks farmers face.

According to the latest Insurance Barometer report, the agriculture industry contributes around R400 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

It also supports 870 000 jobs.

Santam Area Manager for Crop Insurance, Elias Sekoboane says, “This Crop Insurance is what we do … we give cover against specified perils like hail, frost cover, you get goods in transit cover, you get cover against fire, you get cover against locusts.”

“This cover applies to specific crops and there is a number of crops we don’t cover. But for your grains we give cover and for fruits and citrus, avos. So the rate we charge is influenced by your area and commodity price of what you want to insure,” adds Sekoboane.