The cost of damaging weather events on agriculture is estimated to have reached P1.13 billion, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
This represents an increase by 51 percent from only P746.5 million just last year based on data the agency released on December 28, 2022.
The damage relates to 18,663 metric tons of goods tended by 52,259 farmers and fisherfolk in 57,561 hectares of crop land in the Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga.
But the most extensively damaged crop relates to the rice staple which sustained losses estimated at P945.8 million, followed by corn with P129.5 million, so-called high-value crops with another P48.48 million, livestock and poultry of P1.77 million and cassava worth P447,900.
The DA said its regional field offices continue to monitor the effects of the weather disturbances that have visited the various farmlands across the country.
It also said assistance packages and interventions are for distribution to the affected farmers that include rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; a survival and recovery loan program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest; and a quick-response fund for the rehabilitation of damaged areas.
