Insurance program for Negros Occidental farmers launched

In order to give a safety net for crop growers in Negros Occidental, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the local provincial government launched a P180 million insurance program to benefit over 10,000 rice farmers. The partnership, called the Negros Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), was launched last August 5 by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala and Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. at the Negros Occidental multi-purpose activity center in Bacolod City. During the launch, Alcala and Marañon distributed crop insurance policies to 1,500 farmers, assisted by DA Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) President Jovy Bernade. Bernabe said the policy would give each farmer a maximum of P17,680 per hectare in insurance claims should the insured crop be destroyed or lost because of pests, plant diseases or natural calamities. The provincial government will be shouldering 60 percent or P500 of the insurance premium worth P840 per hectare per cropping while the rest will be paid for by the farmer. The PCIC, meanwhile, secures farmers of up to P17,680. For special cases, the provincial government has agreed to shoulder the entire crop insurance premium. - Bea Cupin/KBK, GMA News