Damage to agriculture attributed to El Niño as of April 1 this year jumped 49.8 percent to P3.94 billion from P2.63 billion, according to latest Department of Agriculture (DA) data.
The DA in an advisory dated 16 April publicized only over the weekend, said the damage impacted 66,065 hectares (ha) of farm areas tended by 77,713 farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao and Soccsksargen.
Crops lost to the weather disturbance total 162,793 metric tons (MT) thus far.
The DA said that of the 66,065 hectares of farmland impacted, only 15,281 hectares or 23.13 percent was dismissed as having no chance of recovery while the remaining 50,785 ha or 76.87 percent should recover.
Initial El Niño agricultural damage in the cited regions involved 98,243 MT of rice worth P2.36 billion, 24,102 MT of high value crops worth P868.84 million, 40,195 MT of corn worth P669.44 million.
It also impacted the lives of 2,261 fisherfolk who lost an estimated P33.83 million, 102 heads of livestock and poultry worth P6.95 million, and 38 MT of cassava worth P497,900.
The DA has thus far provided P1.09 billion worth of assistance to affected farmers in the form of production, financial and livelihood assistance as well as water management services.
The DA said it will also pour more investments, particularly in various trading posts as part of the countrywide support for farmers and fishermen.
