Damage to agri due to Odette soared to P11.5B, says DA

Odette’s damage to agriculture soars further to P11.5 billion. pic.twitter.com/nFgyhTZawj

— Ted Cordero (@Ted_Cordero) January 7, 2022

The damage brought about by Typhoon Odette to agriculture has climbed further to P11.5 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Friday.

Latest tally by the agency indicates that the damage and losses to the sector following the calamity’s onslaught in the Visayas and Mindanao mid-December last year amounted to P11.5 billion, higher than the P11.1 billion reported as of Thursday.

The typhoon affected 405,921 farmers and fishers, with volume of production loss at 257,672 metric tons (MT) and 435,447 hectares of agricultural areas in CALABARZON, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Caraga.

Agricultural commodities wiped out by the disaster include rice, corn, high value crops, coconut, sugarcane, abaca, livestock, and fisheries.

The DA, likewise, noted that damage has been incurred in agricultural infrastructures, machineries and equipment.

“These values are subject to validation. Additional damage and losses are expected in areas affected by Odette,” it said.

The agency has earmarked P2.9B worth of readily-available assistance to be provided to Odette-hit farmers and fisherfolk, broken down into:

• P1 billion worth of Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas
• P828 million from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to indemnify affected farmers
• P500 million under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) for 20,000 farmers and fisherfolk at P25,000 each
• P314 million worth of rice seeds, P129 million worth of corn seeds, and P57 million worth of assorted vegetables
• P47 million worth of assistance to affected fisherfolk from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
• P6.6 million worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry
• 15,000 coconut seed nuts and available funds from Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)

The DA said a total area of 11,454 hectares of rice land have been harvested from Regions Mimaropa, VI, VIII, IX, XI, and XIII with an equivalent production of 34,433 metric tons amounting to P615.53 million prior to Odette’s landfall.

As for corn, a total of 2,452 hectares have been harvested from Region IV-A, Mimaropa, VIII, IX, XI, and XIII with an equivalent production of 6,965 metric tons amounting to P82.55 million, it said.

The Agriculture department said its Regional Field Offices (RFOs) are conducting assessment of damage and losses  in the agri-fisheries sector.

“The DA continuously coordinates with concerned NGAs (national government agencies), LGUs (local government units) and other DRRM (disaster risk reduction and management)-related offices for the impact of Odette, as well as available resources for interventions and assistance,” it said. — RSJ, GMA News