Damage to crops due to Ulysses reaches almost P1 billion

The damage and losses sustained by the agriculture sector have increased to almost P1 billion due to Typhoon Ulysses' onslaught over Luzon, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Friday.

In its report, the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center said the total damage and losses incurred due to the typhoon stands at P969.8 million, affecting 40,519 farmers and 51,241 hectares of agricultural areas.

The volume of production loss is at 58,897 metric tons.

Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, fisheries, and livestock in Cordillera Autonomous Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON and Bicol Region.

“There were also reported damage and losses in irrigation facilities, fisheries facilities and fisheries equipment,” the DA said.

“The increase in values is attributed to additional reports from the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley, as well as updated reports from Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and Bicol Region,” it said.

Damage and losses to agriculture sector due to #UlyssesPH stands at nearly P1 billion, affecting 40,519 farmers and 51,241 hectares of agricultural areas. Volume of production loss is at 58,897 metric tons. | via @Ted_Cordero pic.twitter.com/XMa0YaehZ9

— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) November 13, 2020

The Agriculture department earlier pegged the damage to the sector at P104 million, affecting 2,839 farmers and 17,845 hectares of agricultural areas with volume of production loss at 7,999 metric tons. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/763963/initial-estimated-ulysses-damage-to-agri-pegged-at-p104m/story/

The DA earlier said that a total of 69,716 hectares of rice have been saved from CAR and Regions II, III and IV-A, with an equivalent production of 341,812 metric tons, amounting to P5.48 billion have been saved due to early weather advisories.

As for corn, a total of 1,550 hectares were saved from Regions I, II, and III, with an equivalent production of  6,758 metric tons amounting to P85.62 million.

The DA said it is in close coordination with concerned NGAs, LGUs and other DRRM-related offices for the impact of Ulysses and available resources for interventions and assistance; as well as with water management-related agencies for flood risk monitoring and dam water release.

“Affected DA RFOs (Regional Field Offices) are continuously assessing and validating damage and losses in the agriculture and fisheries sector,” it said.

The DA assured affected farmers and fishers of the following available assistance:

Prepositioned rice, corn and assorted vegetable seed reserves from DA RFOs;

Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry;
Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC);
Indemnification fund from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to pay for the losses incurred

“The DA-DRRM Operations Center will continuously provide updates regarding TY ‘ULYSSES’,” it said. -NB, GMA News