Applications for insurance coverage for pig and chicken livestock damaged by the heatwave have sharply increased. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on August 12 that 2,024 farm owners had filed for insurance coverage for their livestock that had been damaged by the heatwave as of August 9. This is double the 1,013 cases reported on July 9, two weeks after the government began to accept insurance applications for livestock damaged by the heatwave on July 1. By type of livestock, 1,555 cases involved pigs and 469 involved chickens. The ministry said that it would make swift and fair insurance payouts to affected farmers. The government had designated the heatwave as a “natural disaster” on July 1, making it possible for farmers to receive insurance payouts for heatwave-related damage to their livestock. The ministry said that it would make efforts to minimize damage from the heatwave by mobilizing all available government resources. As of August 9, a total of 1.38 million head of livestock had died from the heatwave, including 1.01 million chickens, 260,000 pigs, 76,000 ducks and 3,900 cattle. The number of livestock deaths from the heatwave has been on the rise, with 48,000 dying on August 8 alone. The government plans to provide support to farmers who have suffered damage from the heatwave, including financial assistance and feed for their livestock. The Korea Meteorological Administration said that the heatwave would likely continue for another week, with temperatures expected to soar to 35 degrees Celsius or higher in many parts of the country. The government has been taking measures to mitigate the impact of the heatwave, including providing financial support to affected farmers and implementing emergency measures to prevent further damage to crops. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been working to minimize the damage from the heatwave by providing guidance and support to farmers. The government has also been working to prevent the spread of diseases among livestock, with the number of cases of disease increasing due to the heatwave. The heatwave has had a significant impact on the agricultural sector, with many farmers suffering losses due to the extreme weather conditions. The government has been working to support farmers and minimize the damage from the heatwave, and is expected to continue to take measures to mitigate its impact.
Over the summer, record-breaking heatwaves caused an increase in livestock heatstroke insurance claims. According to NH Insurance, between July 7 and the end of August, 2,135 livestock heatstroke claims were filed. Ninety-nine percent of these claims, 2,115, were concentrated in July and August. Livestock insurance compensates for various losses that farmers can incur due to natural disasters like heatwaves, winds, blizzards, earthquakes, fires, and animal diseases.
The government provides half of the insurance premiums through agricultural social safety insurance, with NH Insurance holding a 98% market share. This year, 1,628 claims were made for pigs, and 507 for chickens, both of which are included in the livestock heatstroke insurance. While livestock insurance covers various types of livestock, the heatstroke insurance specifically applies to pigs and chickens.
Cows are relatively resistant to heatwaves and cold, while pigs have limited ability to dissipate heat due to their thick layer of fat, and chickens are vulnerable due to their inability to sweat and the crowded conditions of intensive farming. As climate change intensifies, the number of heatwaves is increasing each year, causing annual insurance payouts to nearly triple over the past three years.
From 76.4 billion won in 2022 to 107.3 billion won in 2023, 229.6 billion won in 2024, and 297.2 billion won in 2023, the annual payouts have steadily increased. Over the past three years, the number of new insurance applicants has approached 4 million annually, close to the three-year average of 4.26 million.
Written by urgent.news from Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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