Lower rice output seen due to bad weather 

AERIAL INSPECTION Photo shows a helicopter carrying President Marcos over flooded rice fields in Batangas. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Department of Agriculture (DA) expects substantial losses in rice production this year due to bad weather throughout the country, an official said on Friday.

“We can expect that our losses will be somewhat significant this year compared to last year due to fewer typhoons that entered the country in 2023 and their impact on the agriculture production,” Assistant Agriculture Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a Zoom interview.

De Mesa, also the spokesperson for the DA, said the damage to rice already reached more than 500,000 metric tons (MT) even before the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami).

This week, the DA announced it revised its palay output projection for 2024 to 19.41 million MT, down by 3.1 percent from the previous estimate of 20.04 million MT.

If the estimate is attained, the forecast output would be 3.2 percent lower than the record high of 20.06 million MT achieved in 2023.

Kristine is the latest weather disturbance that ravaged some parts of the country this year. Based on the DA’s bulletin posted on Thursday afternoon, the farm sector sustained P80.80 million in damage.

Kristine hits 2,864 farmers

The storm took a toll on the livelihood of 2,864 farmers in the regions of Cordillera, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Bicol and Western Visayas.

The volume of production loss is estimated at 5,287 MT covering 1,570 hectares of agricultural land.

Rice accounted for 98.20 percent of the overall damage, valued at P79.34 million, mostly in reproductive and maturity stages.

Corn, high-value crops and livestock and poultry also incurred losses.

“As field assessments continue, further damage and losses are anticipated, potentially impacting additional commodities,” the DA said.

De Mesa said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has instructed the DA’s regional offices, Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. and other concerned offices to expedite the release of assistance to affected farmers and fishers.

P1-B fund sought

He also said the DA requested an additional P1 billion from the Department of Budget and Management to aid rehabilitation efforts in affected areas. They expect its release in November.

The agency has so far prepared the distribution of P80.21 million worth of agricultural inputs, such as rice, corn and vegetable seeds, drugs and biologics for livestock.

Prior to Kristine, the DA reported that around 70 percent of the area planted to rice during this wet season had already been harvested.

“We have enough stocks [of agricultural products],” Tiu Laurel told a situational briefing with President Marcos held on Friday.

But De Mesa said vegetable prices could still increase by 10 to 15 percent depending on the impact of the storm. I