Damage to agriculture as a consequence of El Niño weather disruptions has approached P10 billion, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
This is 1.8 percent more than damage assessed at only P9.71 billion on 16 May this year.
The DA in an advisory made public only on Monday said the damage was wrought across 170,469 hectares of farmland tended by 183,455 farmers and fisherfolk in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, Davao and Soccsksargen.
The DA has determined the loss of 441,801 metric tons of crops consisting of 191,233 MT of rice worth P4.75 billion, 188,861 MT of corn worth P3.37 billion, 50,227 MT of high value crops worth P1.7 billion, 11,334 MT of fisheries worth P57.72 million, 2,403 heads of livestock and poultry worth P10.47 million, and 147 MT of cassava worth P3.42 million.
As a mitigating measure, the DA extended P9.91 billion worth of assistance to affected farmers through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance program that consisted of P8.59 billion in financial aid and P659.17 million in the form of production support including inputs, fertilizers, planting materials, pumps and engines, hose, drugs and biologics provided by the agency’s regional field offices.
The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. also indemnified farmers a total P177.12 million.
