COPRA farmers in the north can now access insurance after the launch of a new insurance product by local company, FijiCare Insurance Limited.
Designed by the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP), the product is the result of research which showed only two per cent of all Fijian farmers were insurance.
According to a government statement, the Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu who officiated at the launch held at the Copra Millers in Savusavu, said insurance was helpful.
The insurance package is for $10,000 for a premium of $1 per week which is $52 a year for each farmer who registers.
“This bundle is about preparing us for the future, it is about resilience. We all experience household income shocks every now and then, and unfortunately we do not prepare for these shocks,” Minister Seruiratu said.
“What is worse now in Fiji are Climate change-induced disasters, we have to adapt to this new environment. This is what I call the new norm, the intensity is going to increase and the frequency is going to increase because the weather has changed significantly.
“And this bundle is about resilience, preparing us to handle the future better.”
According to the government statement, farmers can access claims of $3,000, funeral claims of $3,000 and fire claims of $3,000.
