AGRICULTURAL losses from tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng, and aggravated by the southwest monsoon, have risen to P2.84 billion, affecting 72,803 farmers and 64,234 hectares of farmland, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday.
In its latest bulletin, the DA said production losses reached 63,921 metric tons (MT) across the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas.
Affected commodities include rice, corn, cassava, high-value crops, fisheries, livestock and poultry. Agricultural and fisheries infrastructure, machinery and equipment were also damaged.
Rice accounted for P1.42 billion in losses, with 58,232 hectares affected and 41,607 MT wasted. The volume represents 0.21 percent of the government’s annual rice production target of 20.29 million MT.
Corn losses totaled P103.04 million, covering 1,723 hectares and 3,598 MT of production. The lost volume was equivalent to 0.04 percent of the annual corn production target of 8.80 million MT.
“Further damage and losses are expected in affected regions as assessment and validation are ongoing,” the DA said.
The agency has prepared P609.79 million worth of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds for distribution to affected farmers, as well as 9,260 bags of National Food Authority rice for Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa.
The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. has allocated P35.67 million in insurance payouts for 5,005 farmers, while the Agricultural Credit Policy Council is offering zero-interest Survival and Recovery (SURE) loans of up to P25,000.
DA regional offices have mobilized assistance for affected farmers and consumers, including the deployment of Kadiwa trucks to transport agricultural commodities and deliver aid.
The agency is also coordinating with regional disaster risk reduction and management councils, local government units, and other agencies while monitoring commodity prices and market movements to deter profiteering.
In the Cordillera Administrative Region, the DA has issued guidance to farmers on reducing spoilage and post-harvest losses of high-value crops.
It has also established help desks at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center and La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post to monitor vegetable shipments and provide affected farmers with information on available government assistance.
