Extreme weather this summer has brought growing uncertainty to agricultural production across China. In the southeastern province of Fujian, many towns and villages have felt the impact. Specialized agricultural insurance is now helping local grape growers ease financial strain and prepare for the seasons ahead. Bi Ran reports from Quanzhou.
 

The insurance support for Fujian's farmers comes as the province faces further weather-related risks. Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of 2026, recently brought strong winds and heavy rainfall here. Earlier this year, unusually high temperatures also affected grape crops in Fujian's Ningde City.

MIAO FUQING Head, Local Agricultural Cooperative "Our initial investment, including greenhouse covering, land preparation and vine management, has already reached about 4,000 yuan, or roughly 560 US dollars, per 660 square meters."

Miao says abnormal temperatures during the flowering period led to a high proportion of undersized, round grapes, which could significantly reduce this year's harvest.

BI RAN Quanzhou "Take this bunch of grapes, for example. With only a few fully developed berries, among Chinese winemakers they're referred to as round fruit, which means undersized. During periods of extreme heat or typhoons, losses across the vineyard can reach up to 30%."

After receiving a claim, a local insurance company immediately sent staff to inspect the vineyard and assess the damage.

YE HANG PICC Property and Casualty Shouning Branch "We immediately opened a fast-track claims channel and sent staff to the grape-growing base. They verified facts. We also compared this year's output with normal production levels to determine the actual reduction caused by the extreme weather, ensuring that the assessment was based on verifiable evidence."

The insurer is able to complete the inspection, loss assessment and claim review within three days.

This time, a total of 130,000 US dollars, was paid within seven days to Miao's cooperative.

According to Miao, the payment covers about half of their losses and has greatly eased their financial pressure. It also gives farmers greater confidence to expand production in the future.

ZHANG MIN Deputy Director, Property Insurance Supervision Division Fujian Financial Regulatory Bureau "Traditional policy-based crop insurance generally covers disasters such as fires, rainstorms and mudslides. However, it does not normally cover yield losses caused directly by malformed grape development, leaving growers exposed to a gap in protection. We have encouraged insurers to improve their products and services by addressing insufficient coverage and incomplete protection for specialty crops."

Now in Fujian, new products, including yield-loss insurance and weather-index insurance, have strengthened farmers' ability to withstand risks.

In the first half of this year, specialty agricultural insurance accounted for around 60% of Fujian's total agricultural insurance coverage, providing strong support for the development of the province's distinctive agricultural industries. Bi Ran, CGTN, Quanzhou, Fujian Province.

Source - https://news.cgtn.com