On January 7, Israel’s Insurance Fund for Natural Risks in Agriculture (Kanat) released its annual report, revealing that the agricultural sector in Israel experienced a record high number of damage cases in 2023.
The report indicated that Kanat received over 12,200 reports of crop damage last year, which was a significant increase from the approximately 11,000 reports from the previous year. Kanat, which is owned by the government and 11 leading agricultural organizations, oversees the insurance of agricultural crops.
Climate-related damages reported by practitioners amounted to 390 million shekels (about 106 million U.S. dollars) in 2023, marking a 13 percent rise compared to 2022. This was the highest total since 2015, according to the report.
The fruit sector experienced the most substantial losses, with damages totaling nearly 130 million shekels in 2023. This was followed by damage to vegetable crops at 79 million shekels and over 70 million shekels for animal breeders.
The report attributed the increase in damages to extreme weather events, such as heavy hail and rainstorms, which are believed to be linked to global warming.
In April, the impact of an unusual hailstorm was particularly severe, as it hindered the flowering of various fruits and also affected the wine vineyards. The findings of the report highlight the vulnerability of Israel’s agricultural sector to climate change.
