DA: ‘Kristine’ damaged crops now over P80-M

The agriculture sector has now suffered production losses worth P80.80 million due to the onslaught of severe tropical storm Kristine (Trami).

“As of yesterday, the initial damage report that we received is only P80.8 million, and most of it is in the rice subsector. We can see that the areas that were hit the hardest are the Bicol region [a]nd Mimaropa,” Department of Agriculture (DA) spokesperson Asec. Arnel de Mesa told reporters Friday.

However, he said that the damage reports will increase in the next few days.

“Most likely [it will increase]. because Camarines Sur is the fifth of our top-producing provinces [for rice] and the Bicol region... and not just Bicol; mostly the whole of Luzon was hit,” De Mesa said, linking the substantial rice loss to the volume of rain ‘Kristine’ brought as well as its lingering in the region.

Meanwhile, he noted that “on the brighter side,“ almost 70 percent of the rice had been harvested prior to the weather disturbance.

He added the rice program revised the projected annual palay (unhusked rice) production this year to 19.41 million metric tons (MT), which is approximately 12.69 million MT of rice.

“However, we can see on the import side that almost 3.6 million metric tons arrived in the country, and we can expect it to increase,” the Agri spokesman said, saying that import and local rice supply combined, a 100-day national stock inventory by the end of the year can still be expected.

“[It is still good inventory towards the end of the year coming into lean season this January [and] February before the harvest season next cropping season," the DA official added.

‘Kristine’ left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday afternoon but is expected to curve back into the country by Sunday, as per PAGASA.