Final agri damage tally due to Carina, Habagat at P4.72B

The widespread destruction brought by the combined effects of Super Typhoon Carina and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat last July had caused over P4 billion worth of losses and damage to the country’s agriculture sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.

In its final bulletin on the twin weather disturbances, issued August 21, the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center reported the total production value loss on crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries reached P4.72 billion after thorough assessment by the agency’s regional field offices in areas affected by the violent weather events.

Damage and losses have been incurred by farmlands and fishery in in 12 regions, namely Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and Caraga, affecting 82,824 hectares of agricultural areas.

The total volume production losses in the affected areas stood at 68,690 metric tons (MT).

The heavy rains and flooding caused by Habagat enhanced by Carina impacted the livelihoods of 137,999 farmers and fisherfolk.

Broken down, rice is the most affected commodity, sustaining damage worth P1.08 billion with total volume loss of 18,629 MT.

The DA said the affected rice area of 67,432 hectares is equivalent to 2.51% of the total target area planted of 2,678,766 hectares, while the production loss of 18,629 MT is equivalent to around 0.16% of the target production of 11,663,214 MT,  both for wet cropping season this 2024.

Fisheries followed with P783.96 million worth of loss, affecting 8,395 fisherfolk.

High-value crops came in third with the value of production loss standing at P691.62 million, equivalent to 19,969 MT of crops destroyed.

Corn saw damage and losses worth P469.45 million or 18,170 MT of volume damaged.

The livestock and poultry sub-sector, meanwhile, sustained P38.26 million worth of losses, equivalent to 25,855 heads of chicken, swine, cattle, carabao, gota, duck, horse, quail, turkey, guinea fowl, and buffalo killed.

Cassava also saw P12-million of damage at 472 MT volume destroyed.

Moreover, damage to irrigation facilities, agricultural infrastructure, and machineries was tallied at P1.64 billion, P4.44 million, and P4.01 million, respectively.

The DA said that its regional field offices and in collaboration with  affected local government units and concerned DRRM offices were actively engaged in conducting thorough validation and assessment on the impact of the combined effects of Southwest Monsoon and Typhoon Carina in the agriculture and fisheries sector.

“Best possible efforts are also being undertaken to carry out assistance and appropriate interventions to the affected farmers and fisherfolk,” it said.

The Agriculture Department said it will promptly deploy the following forms of assistance:

• 64,404 bags of rice and 45,307 bags of corn seeds worth P301.72 million
• 1,300 kgs, 63,124 packs and 370 cans of vegetable seeds worth P17.63 million
• P6.31 Million worth of bio control measure

Fingerlings, fishing gears and paraphernalia from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)

Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest

Available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to indemnify affected farmers.

“This is the final DA DRRM OpCen Bulletin for the combined effects of the SW Monsoon and Typhoon Carina in the agriculture and fisheries sector,” it said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News