Agri damage, losses due to Habagat, 4 cyclones top P4.3 B

The agricultural sector has incurred P4.38 billion in damage and losses due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat, and the recent tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng, and Pilandok, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday. Final assessments by the DA’s regional offices showed that agricultural damage and losses were recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas. The weather disturbances affected 99,663 farmers and fisherfolk and damaged 81,511 hectares of agricultural areas. They also caused production losses totaling 102,791 metric tons of agricultural commodities. Rice accounted for the biggest share of the total damage and losses at P2.05 billion. It was followed by high-value crops, which incurred P1.38 billion in losses. Affected crops included upland and lowland vegetables, spices, legumes, avocado, calamansi, citrus, durian, guyabano, honeydew, lanzones, mangosteen, melon, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, rambutan, strawberry, watermelon, banana, mango, root crops, commercial crops, and ornamental crops. Corn incurred P127.60 million in losses, while cassava production sustained P30.94 million in losses. Livestock, including chickens, fighting cocks, swine, cattle, carabaos, goats, sheep, ducks, rabbits, horses, quails, and turkeys, incurred P32.65 million in losses. Irrigation facilities and farm structures sustained P72.52 million and P40.64 million in damage, respectively. Machinery and equipment also sustained P6.35 million in damage. Meanwhile, fisheries and aquatic resources sustained P647.79 million in losses. Affected fisheries products included milkfish, tilapia, mangrove crab, oyster, giant freshwater prawn, catfish, sugpo, and fingerlings. Affected farmers may avail themselves of P609.79 million worth of agricultural inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds. They may also avail themselves of loans of up to P25,000 under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC). The DA also said the National Food Authority would distribute 9,260 bags of palay-milled rice to affected local government units in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA.