PCIC-EVisayas pays farmers crop insurance

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) in Eastern Visayas has paid insurance to 1,283 farmers who incurred losses in crop production due to pests and diseases. Of the number, 89% of farmers claimed insurance for losses due to pests and diseases. 

Dominico Digamon, PCIC regional manager informed that this year’s payout on crop insurance of ₱5.32 million is higher than last year’s ₱5.04 million payout. The period of payment is January to June, 2013. 

Digamon said that of the total claims, ₱4.57 million was paid to farmers who incurred production loss due to pests and diseases while only ₱3 million was paid for the same problem during the same last year. 

PCIC record show that government paid ₱867,757 for losses due to rat infestation and ₱2.11 million for damages arising from other pests infestations such as sheath blight, black bug, and stem borer. 

The PCIC chief disclosed that while the weather has been favorable in the first semester of the year, claims were received due to pests and infestations. 

Pests and disease infestation has disrupted farming activities of 1,622 hectares of rice fields in Leyte covered by state insurance.