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Severe tropical storm Crising and the southwest monsoon destroyed crops and killed livestock valued at over P130 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday.

In its latest bulletin, the DA said the agricultural damage caused by the tropical storm and habagat hit P134.66 million. The storm also displaced 6,377 farmers and fisherfolk.

The volume of production losses in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region and Western Visayas Regions was pegged at 3,412 metric tons (MT).

Rice bore the brunt of the damage brought by the combined effects of the typhoon and southwest monsoon at 3,075 MT. Corn, high-value crops, and cassava also sustained damage at 243 MT, 94 MT, and 1 MT, respectively.

The report said the production losses are equivalent to P121.88 million for rice, P5.34 million for corn, P4.53 million for high-value crops, P2.85 million for livestock and poultry, and P44,950 for fisheries, and P9,000 for cassava.

The DA said 8,035 hectares of agricultural areas were affected by the storm and habagat. Of these, 6,699 hectares have a chance to recover.

However, DA Undersecretary Roger Navarro said the latest figures have yet to be validated.

“These figures are still subject to change as we continue to assess the situation on the ground,” Navarro said in a statement.

Despite this, the DA said it has allocated P495.4 million in agricultural inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds.

This would help farmers in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas, it added. These are the areas affected by typhoon Crising whose impact was compounded by the southwest monsoon.

Navarro said additional support would also be made immediately available to affected farmers and fisherfolk.

Such interventions include the Quick Response Funds (QRF) for rehabilitation, Survival and Recovery Loans, and indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

The DA, in collaboration with other government agencies, is closely monitoring the crisis to mitigate disruptions in the food supply chain, particularly for highland vegetables.

“We are keeping a close watch to prevent significant price increases on key agricultural commodities,” Navarro added.

Meanwhile, the National Food Authority (NFA) said it is prepared to release rice stocks to support local government units and national disaster relief efforts.

Source : businessmirror