Damage and losses to the agriculture sector due to the recent onslaught of Typhoon Carina (international name: Gaemi), which enhanced the Southwest Monsson or habagat, rose to P696 million.

The latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) shows that damaged crops have a total volume loss of 13,312 metric tons (MT), amounting to P696.87 million.

Affected farmers were tallied at 30,827, with the bad weather damaging 35,146 hectares (ha) of agricultural areas, of which more than 72 percent have a chance to recover.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said regions badly stricken by the inclement weather were the Cordillera Region, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and Caraga Region.

“The biggest reported damage is in Central Luzon, along with Pampanga, which recorded P228 million [value loss], Tarlac, which recorded P142 million [value loss], and Cotabato, which recorded P65 million  [value loss]. So, the rest is in other areas,” he said. “We can see that the damage is very extensive.   The typhoon actually didn't hit the landmass. It's more of the excess water because of the enhancement of the habagat.”

Crops affected

Most production damage was reported from rice, totaling 9,102 MT worth P570.14 million in value loss.

Pampanga province was the hardest hit, suffering losses worth P200 million to P250 million.

Corn output had a loss of 3,104  MT from 1,153 ha affected. The estimated crop loss was valued at P65.02 million.

High-value crops (HVC), on the other hand, had a loss of 1,105 MT, amounting to P58.95  million. A total of 710 ha of HVC-planted areas were affected, with 154 ha, or 15.15 percent, unrecoverable.

The high-value crop losses, estimated at P15 million and P20 million, were reported in La Union.

Livestock and poultry also registered a loss of 5,593 heads, including chicken, swine cattle, goats, sheep, ducks, and buffalo, valued at P1.17 million. Most livestock deaths were reported in Ilocos Sur, with a value loss of P600,000 to P800,000. 

Carina enhanced-habagat, likewise, caused damage to some agricultural infrastructure, machines, and equipment, amounting to P1.6 million, all of which were reported from Romblon.

The DA, meanwhile, assured affected farmers of the deployment of assistance such as seed distribution; the provision of the Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, with a loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest;  the Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas; and the deployment of available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.