Damage to crops now P156M

The agriculture sector has incurred damage and losses of more than P156 million due to the torrential rains brought by the onslaught of typhoon “Carina” and the southwest monsoon or habagat.

The latest assessment by Regional Field Offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday showed that production losses had been reported in rice, corn, high-value crops (HVC), and livestock amounting to P156.79 million and affecting the livelihood of 7,677 farmers.

The production volume loss was estimated at 1,096 metric tons (MT), damaging 8,821 hectares (ha) of agricultural areas.

Rice output had the most yield losses, amounting to P145.39 million from a volume loss of 856 MT and affecting 8,596 ha of farmland.

North Cotabato had the biggest value loss, from P60 million to P80 million. The most damage and losses to rice were in the newly planted and vegetative stages.

A total of 94 ha of HVC-planted areas, on the other hand, were affected by “Carina” and the habagat, with a 219-MT volume loss amounting to P8.50 million. Oriental Mindoro incurred the highest crop losses, estimated at P4 million to 6 million.

Meanwhile, corn suffered a volume loss of 21 MT worth P2.85 million over an area of 132 ha.

The local livestock and poultry industry lost 2,323 head worth over P80,000. This includes chicken, cattle and swine losses.

Following this, the DA will be deploying to the affected population bags of rice seeds, corn seeds, and vegetable seeds and providing cash aid through the Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas, and the deployment of available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.

Carina is the third tropical storm to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this year. PAGASA projects the typhoon to leave the PAR on Thursday morning.