The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday said the agricultural damage due to the El Niño phenomenon in the country has now reached P6.3 billion. 

In a news forum in Quezon City, DA spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa, said the biggest damage hit rice production at P3.3 billion, followed by corn production at P1.9 billion and the value of commercial crops pegged at P1 billion.

MIMAROPA posed the highest agricultural damage with P1.7 billion, followed by Region 6 (Western Visayas at P1.1 billion and Cordillera Administrative Region with almost P800 million. 

At the onslaught of El Niño in the country, De Mesa said the DA earlier projected at least 120,00 hectares will be greatly affected by the dry season. 

However, the government’s early mitigation efforts reduced the damages and agricultural losses to only 60,000 hectares.

“We may say that the department’s mitigation efforts have become effective, in collaboration with other national government agencies,” de Mesa said. 

He added that the National Irrigation Administration ensured a sustainable water supply in the croplands amid the dry spell. 

Despite El Niño continuing to scorch many areas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has urged the public to prepare for the upcoming shift to La Niña.

PAGASA said the increasing probability of La Niña is likely to develop from June to August.