DA: Agri damage due to Habagat, tropical cyclones nears P200M

The damage and losses to agricultural areas due to the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and the recent tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay have reached nearly P200 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

Based on the ongoing assessment by DA regional offices, the damage amounting to P197.2 million was recorded in Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Western Visayas, with 6,973 hectares of agricultural areas affected.

Of the said amount of damage and losses incurred, rice sustained P143.67 million worth in losses.

High-value crops also posted P30.27 million in losses. This includes upland and lowland vegetables, papaya, and banana.

Corn also saw P4.65 million worth of damage, with most of them in vegetative and reproductive stages.

Irrigation facilities and farm structures also sustained damage at ₱16.1 million and ₱2 million, respectively.

Livestock such as goats, swine, carabao, free-range chicken, and ducks sustained P170,000 worth of losses.

Cassava produce was also affected, with P90,000 in losses.

Further, the monsoon and tropical cyclones led to 5,515 metric tons of production losses.

The DA also said that the weather disturbances affected 7,989 farmers based on the latest assessment.

The affected farmers can avail of ₱110.5 million worth of farm inputs such as rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, the Agriculture Department said.

They can also avail of up to ₱25,000 loan from the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC).

The department also said that 600 bags worth of palay-milled rice from the National Food Authority will be distributed to affected local government units in Ilocos Province. —AOL, GMA News