general admin posted on July 30, 2010 14:55
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The following is an article from Reuters:
Insurance claims for hail damage to crops have risen significantly in all three Canadian Prairie provinces during the past two weeks, with claims reaching above-average levels in the top crop-growing province of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Crop Hail Association said on Friday.
Claims in Saskatchewan have risen by 56 percent from two weeks ago to nearly 5,000, which is more than double the number at the same time a year ago.
The total is still less than half of the record for claims at this time of year set in 2008, said the association, which represents some private-sector and government crop insurance dealers.
Storms have battered crops with hail in the past two weeks in western Saskatchewan around Leader, eastern Saskatchewan near Yorkton and Humboldt and southeast Saskatchewan around Estevan, the association said.
Hail claims have risen rapidly in the past two weeks in Manitoba and Alberta to totals of about 700 and 1,350 respectively, but those numbers are below average for this time of year.
Record spring rains across much of the Prairies and especially Saskatchewan reduced planted acreage to a 39-year low and has slowed development of crops that farmers managed to plant.
Canada is the world's No. 6 wheat grower and third-biggest producer of canola and rapeseed.
Source:Reuters
Posted by Haylie Shipp