Agri storm damage hits P202M
DAMAGE to agriculture wrought by rains and flooding caused by the shear line has reached P202.89 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday.
The DA bulletin said crop damage and losses affected a total of 8,322 farmers in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Bicol region with total crop losses hitting 7,521 metric tons (MT) across 8,446 hectares of farmland.
Rice crop damage was valued at P189.8 million with volume losses of 7,034MT across 8,278 hectares and accounted for 93.57% of the damage caused by the shear line.
The remaining 6.43% included damage and losses from high value crops, corn, cassava, livestock and poultry, and irrigation facilities.
In response, the DA will distribute about P29.30 million worth of rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds to local producers in the affected areas once weather conditions improve.
It added that native chicken worth P211,000 would also be handed out to poultry farmers. A Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with a P50-million funding will also be extending a loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
The DA will also rehabilitate the affected agricultural areas from its 2024 quick response fund. — Adrian H. Halili