Typhoons, monsoon agriculture losses hit P12 billion

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to agriculture due to the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by Super Typhoons Egay and Falcon has reached P12 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In its final report on the weather systems, which was released yesterday, the DA said 10 regions were affected. These are the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

The DA said production loss reached 279,289 metric tons, covering 250,174 hectares of agricultural land. Rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries were affected.

Agricultural machinery and equipment, irrigation systems, farm and fishery facilities as well as fishing gears and paraphernalia were also damaged. Losses were pegged at P3.26 billion.

Damage to rice production was placed at P3.08 billion, with 145,010 hectares of rice fields affected.

The DA said losses in palay production represent only 0.35 percent of the country’s total annual production.

Damage to corn, which reached P2.37 billion, was 1.36 percent of the total annual production of 9.30 million metric tons.

As of Thursday, P46.48 million worth of rice seeds were distributed to affected farmers in Central Luzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas and P10.08 million worth of corn seeds in the Cordilleras, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas.

The DA also provided P1.75 million worth of assorted vegetable seeds in Cagayan Valley and P50,900 worth of veterinary drugs for livestock farmers in Ilocos.