JERUSALEM, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israel's agricultural sector reported a record high number of damage cases last year, found an annual report released Sunday by Israel's Insurance Fund for Natural Risks in Agriculture (Kanat).

In 2023, Kanat received more than 12,200 reports of crop damage, a notable increase from about 11,000 reports the previous year, said Kanat, owned by the government and 11 leading agricultural organizations.

Climate-related damages claimed by practitioners totaled 390 million shekels (about 106 million U.S. dollars) last year, a 13 percent rise compared to 2022, and the highest since 2015, showed its report.

The fruit sector suffered the most significant losses, totaling nearly 130 million shekels in 2023, followed by damage to vegetable crops at 79 million shekels and over 70 million shekels for animal breeders.

The report attributed the surge in damages from extreme weather events, such as heavy hail and rainstorms, to global warming.

The impact was particularly severe in April when an unusual hailstorm hampered the flowering of various fruits and also affected the wine vineyards. Enditem

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