Performance of Temperature-Related Weather Index for Agricultural Insurance of Three Main Crops in China

Abstract

In this study, two categories of weather index—absolute index and relative index—for chilling injury and heat damage of three main crops in China were assessed to identify insurable counties. First, correlations between selected weather indices and yield losses were examined for each county. If a correlation was significant, the county was categorized as “insurable” for the corresponding hazard or index. Second, the spatial distribution of insurable counties was characterized and finally, their correlation coefficients were analyzed at various spatial scales. The results show that the spatial patterns of insurable areas varied by categories of weather indices, crops, and hazards. Moreover, the weather indices based on relative threshold of temperature were more suitable for chilling injury in most regions, whereas the indices based on absolute threshold were more suitable for heat damage. The findings could help the Chinese government and insurance companies to design effective insurance products.