«Huge damage due to drought and floods. New rules to promote insurance policies”

Published on: 05/25/2024 – 10:34

«It is not yet possible to draw up an accurate forecast regarding the amount of agricultural damage caused by the exceptional rains that have repeatedly hit Northern Italy in recent days. Once again, between crop losses, damage to structures and higher production costs, the bill will inevitably be high.”
Confagricoltura highlights that «corn, soy and rice crops are at risk. Due to the water that has covered the land, a cut in wheat and barley yields is looming. The concerns also extend to industrial tomatoes due to failed transplants and probable damage to plants already in the field. Fruit production and vineyards are also affected, with the risk of having to face an acceleration of plant diseases in the coming months. In short, a year after the floods in Emilia-Romagna, agriculture is once again suffering the consequences of extreme, but now recurring, climatic events which require a policy of continuous adaptation. From the affected territories, for example, there is a request for greater commitment to strengthening and maintaining the embankments.
While in the North agricultural businesses are dealing with excess rainfall (a year’s rainfall fell locally in just over two months), some regions in the South – Sicily and Sardinia in the forefront – are grappling with a prolonged drought which has already caused heavy damage to agricultural businesses and livestock. In Abruzzo the first irrigation shutdown has already taken place in Fucino to combat the drought. Annual production of durum wheat could be around 3.5 million tonnes. If the forecast is confirmed by the real figures, it would be the lowest harvest in ten years.
All possible measures must be urgently activated to compensate for the damage and restart production, but it is not enough.” For Confagricoltura «climate change requires the adaptation of the regulatory structures in force. To this end, a reflection has already been started with a view to the presentation of a proposal for the revision of Legislative Decree no. 102 of 2004. The objective is to encourage the diffusion of insurance policies; reduce the cost borne by farmers; focus on closer collaboration between public administration and the insurance system to speed up damage compensation procedures.
The issue of risk management must also be raised at a European level. The current CAP crisis reserve should be used, with an increased allocation, to financially support the initiatives taken by the Member States. Faced with the instability of the international scenario, food security has once again become a strategic requirement. Consequently, the rapid restart of production activity in agricultural businesses affected by exceptional climatic events becomes a common objective.”

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