Damage to the agriculture sector from the southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay has surpassed P1 billion, according to the 7 a.m. advisory today from the Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center. The figure marks a sharp rise from the P689.66 million reported just last Thursday.
The total loss impacts 30,073 farmers across 25,662 hectares, with an estimated production volume decline of 25,280 metric tons. Rice accounts for the largest share of damage at P589.44 million, covering 23,306 hectares and a production loss of 16,105 metric tons. High-value crops—including upland and lowland vegetables, spices, legumes, calamansi, citrus, durian, lanzones, mangosteen, papaya, rambutan, watermelon, banana, root crops, and ornamental crops—follow at P313.07 million.
Agricultural machinery, equipment, and infrastructure sustained P63.87 million in damage, while corn losses reached P46.24 million across 661 hectares with a production loss of 1,309 metric tons. Fisheries and aquatic resources recorded P9.26 million in damage, livestock and poultry P6.91 million, and cassava crops P954,270.
Current assessments cover the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas. The department noted that field evaluations remain ongoing, meaning additional damage reports are expected as validation continues.
Aid is already being deployed to support those affected. More than P177.67 million in agricultural inputs—including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds—have been distributed, alongside 1,007 bags of palay-milled rice from the National Food Authority sent to local government units in La Union and Batanes. The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. has also released P35.67 million in indemnification for 5,005 insured farmers and fisherfolk, while the Agricultural Credit Policy Council offers zero-interest, three-year repayment loans of up to P25,000 through the Survival and Recovery Loan Program. Regional offices have pre-positioned rice seeds and paddies to enable immediate replanting and faster recovery.
The Department of Agriculture is also closely monitoring commodity prices and supply movements. Assistant secretary and spokesperson Arnel de Mesa noted minor price shifts may occur for vegetables, particularly from Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, but emphasized that vegetable crops recover quickly so impacts will not be significant. The agency continues to monitor the situation and will release further updates as more data becomes available.
