Crop insurance for tree nuts 2026: what it covers, who can contract it and how to subscribe

Key data

If you have a tree nut farm, the 2026 campaign already has its insurance framework defined. The Order APA/867/2026, published on August 17, 2026, establishes the technical and economic bases for crop insurance for tree nut farms within the 47th Combined Agricultural Insurance Plan. This means you can now know if your plot is insurable, what requirements you must meet and on what dates you need to subscribe.

Failing to act in time could leave you without coverage against frost, hail or other climate risks throughout the campaign. The regulation is clear in its exclusions: if you do not meet the minimum technical conditions or your plot falls into any of the excluded categories, you will not be able to contract the insurance.

What does this regulation establish?

Order APA/867/2026 regulates five fundamental aspects of crop insurance for tree nuts in 2026:

• Insurable productions and plantations: defines exactly which crops and which elements of the farm can be covered.
• Minimum technical cultivation conditions: requirements that the farm must meet to access insurance.
• Scope of application: delimits geographically and by type of farm where coverage applies.
• Guarantee periods and subscription dates: time windows in which insurance is active and in which it can be contracted.
• Unit prices: reference values on which indemnities and premiums are calculated.

Insurable crops

The regulation recognizes the following tree nut crops as insurable, as well as irrigation facilities linked to these farms:

Express exclusions

The regulation expressly excludes the following situations from insurance:

• Experimental plots
• Family orchards
• Isolated trees
• Young almond plantations (that have not reached the minimum productive age established)

Organic production

Farmers with certified organic productions can also benefit from insurance, but under specific conditions differentiated from the general regime. If you have organic certification, you must verify that you meet those particular conditions before subscribing to the policy.

Economic and operational impact

Crop insurance for tree nuts is a risk management tool directly linked to the farm's profit and loss account. Its contracting within the deadlines set by this order is the only way to access indemnities in case of loss during the 2026 campaign.

The unit prices set in the order are the reference values for calculating both the premiums you will pay and the indemnities you could receive. Although the regulation does not publish a table of amounts in the available summary, these prices are defined crop by crop in the official text and directly determine the cost of your policy and the maximum coverage limit.

Irrigation facilities linked to the farm are also insurable, which extends coverage beyond plant production and protects the farm's infrastructure.

From an operational perspective, the most immediate impact is the need to verify that your farm meets the minimum technical cultivation conditions before attempting to subscribe to insurance. If you do not meet them, the insurer may reject the policy or cancel it in case of loss.

Who does it affect?

• Individual farmers with farms growing almond, pistachio, walnut, hazelnut, carob or pecan in Spain.
• Agricultural cooperatives that manage or group tree nut farms.
• Agricultural transformation societies (SAT) with tree nut crops.
• Farms with certified organic production of any of the listed crops.
• Owners of irrigation facilities linked to insurable tree nut farms.
• Agricultural advisors and management firms that process agricultural insurance for their clients.

Not affected (or excluded): owners of experimental plots, family orchards, isolated trees or young almond plantations that have not reached the minimum productive age.

Practical example

Imagine a farmer in Castilla-La Mancha with 15 hectares of almond in production and a drip irrigation system installed. He wants to insure his harvest for the 2026 campaign.

Thanks to Order APA/867/2026:

• His almond production is insurable, as it is an adult plantation in production (not a young excluded plantation).
• His drip irrigation system can also be included in the coverage, as it is linked to the insurable farm.
• He must verify that he meets the minimum technical cultivation conditions set in the order before subscribing.
• If he also has organic certification, he must apply the specific conditions for organic production, not the general regime.
• He must respect the subscription dates set in the regulation: after that deadline, he will not be able to contract insurance for this campaign.

If this same farmer had an experimental plot or isolated trees on another farm, those areas would be excluded from coverage even if the rest of the farm was insured.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your crop is insurable: check that your farm includes one of the six recognized crops (carob, almond, hazelnut, walnut, pecan or pistachio) and that it is not in any of the excluded categories.
2. Review the minimum technical cultivation conditions: consult the full text of the Order APA/867/2026 to confirm that your farm meets them before attempting to subscribe.
3. Identify subscription periods: locate in the regulation the deadlines for contracting insurance for your crop. After the deadline, there is no extension.
4. If you have certified organic production: make sure to apply the specific conditions for this type of production, different from the general regime.
5. Include irrigation facilities: if you have irrigation infrastructure linked to the farm, consider including it in the coverage, as the regulation expressly allows it.
6. Contact your insurer or agricultural broker: with the regulation in hand, request a quote based on the official unit prices for the 2026 campaign.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17873