Damage to agriculture hit P362M; rice most affected

An aerial footage taken by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Aviation Force showed most areas in Kabankalan City in Ilog, Negros Occidental still swollen with floodwaters following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. Image from Facebook of Phil. Coast Guard

While Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai) has already left the Philippines, the agriculture sector continues to reel from the aftermath of the typhoon that ravaged several parts of the country.

On Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that agricultural damage climbed to P362.3 million, affecting 12,906 farmers and fishers in Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, Davao and Caraga regions.

Production loss increased to 20,319 metric tons, spanning 23,438 hectares of agricultural areas. Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops and fisheries.

The rice sector suffered the most with reported losses of P277.6 million with the volume of production loss pegged at 15,321 MT and 21,150 hectares of agricultural land affected.

The corn sector sustained losses worth P69.6 million equivalent to production loss of 4,911 MT and a total of 2,155 hectares of agricultural areas hit.

The fisheries sector incurred losses amounting to P10.5 million covering 446 fisherfolk. It affected fisheries produce, fishing boats and gears, fishnets and gillnets.

Losses for high value crops were unchanged at P4.6 million spanning 140 hectares of agricultural area. Assorted vegetables and cacao were affected.

Quick response fund

Meanwhile, P1.35 billion worth of readily available assistance awaits farmers and fisherfolk severely affected by Odette.

These include P1 billion worth of Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas; P148 million worth of rice seeds, P57.6 million worth of corn seeds and P44.6 million worth of assorted vegetables; P100 million worth of emergency loan assistance under the Agricultural Credit Policy Council’s Survival and Recovery Assistance Program; P1.64 million worth of fingerlings and assistance to affected fisherfolk from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; P625,150 worth of drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry needs from the DA’s Regional Field Office 5 in Bicol Region; and funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to indemnify affected farmers.