The Department of Agriculture (DA) worries over the potential devastation that typhoon Betty has over 234,145 hectares of rice and corn crops, particularly those in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.
The agency said regional field offices have activated several operations centers, extended localized advisories to local government units, farmers and fisherfolk, prepositioned seeds, fertilizer, drugs and biologics in safe storage facilities and closely coordinated with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in monitoring the weather disturbance.
The DA also said 681,205 bags of rice seeds, 21,192 bags of corn seeds and 20,454 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds have been prepositioned in the appropriate regions and made available drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.
Calamity loans for affected farmers and fisherfolk of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council and a quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas have also been made available.
