NFU Sugar are pleased to announce the details of the sugar beet frost insurance policy arranged on behalf of UK growers. The policy is designed to compensate up to 50% of losses in the event of severe frost damage to the crop.
The policy covers yield losses from your overall approved tonnage in the event that a frost event is triggered. For 2020/21, your overall approved tonnage is equal to your area planted multiplied by your five-year average yield minus 6%, reflecting some of the yield loss already faced by the crop prior to any frost event happening. In any case, your approved tonnage will be no larger than your contracted tonnage.
A frost event is triggered on the policy if the 10 day rolling average minimum daily temperature is -4oC or lower at one or more of the MET Office weather stations at either;
- Marham (Norfolk)
- Waddington (Lincolnshire)
- Wattisham (Suffolk).
The insured period runs for any 10-day period up to the period ending 9 February (i.e. up to the period 31 January-9 February).
Should a frost event be triggered, the first 15% of yield loss is akin to the excess on the policy and is not paid for. Yield losses above that level are covered in the event of a frost event being triggered.
The policy is at no cost to growers, with the cost of cover paid by British Sugar by agreement with the NFU.
Policy certificates and documents were sent to all growers in early October from the insurer, NFU Mutual.