Over P64-M worth of crops damaged in Davao due to shear line

Due to the ongoing shear line since 15 January, damage and losses to agricultural produce in the Davao Region are now over P64 million, the Department of Agriculture said on Friday.

The state’s weather bureau defines a shear line as the meeting of cold and warm winds that trigger rains.

DA’s initial assessment shows the shear line has affected Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro’s 5,737 farmers with 7,121 hectares of rice, corn, and high-value crops, estimated to have a volume loss of 689 metric tons valued at P64.07 million.

The agency reported that in rice farmlands, 6, 742 hectares were affected, with an anticipated volume loss of 49 metric tons worth P57.55 million. Davao del Norte was the most affected, with an estimated P28 to P30 million value loss, while Davao de Oro registered a value loss lower than P28 million.

On corn, 73 hectares were affected by a volume loss of 45 metric tons worth P1.10 million. Davao del Norte was the most affected, with an estimated P700,000 to P750,000 value loss, while Davao de Oro registered a value loss lower than P400,00.

On high-yielding crops including assorted vegetables, fruits, bananas, and commercial crops such as cocoa, 307 hectares were affected, resulting in a volume loss of 595 metric tons worth P5.41 million. Davao del Norte is the province affected by an estimated value loss lower than P6 million.

DA Regional Field Office XI said they are coordinating with affected local and other disaster risk management-related offices to monitor the shear line impact and formulate interventions for the affected farmers and fishermen.

The validation of damage and losses is still in progress, noted the agency.