Damage to agriculture due to Agaton reaches P1.4B

The damage sustained by the country's agriculture sector due to Tropical Depression Agaton has climbed to P1.4 billion as of Tuesday morning, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

In its typhoon bulletin as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the DA said the weather disturbance has so far affected 23,188 farmers and fishers, with a volume of production loss of 35,258 metric tons (MT) and 17,384 hectares of agricultural areas in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and Caraga.

“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, livestock, and fisheries. These values are subject to validation,” the department said.

Fisheries is the most affected commodity, with a total value loss of P763.3 million and 2,234 fishermen affected.

Rice followed with a volume loss of 33,501 MT and 16,752 hectares of land valued at P595.6 million.

High-value crops incurred losses amounting to P30 million with volume loss of 866 MT and 215 hectares of land destroyed.

Corn sustained losses of P21.4 million, a volume loss of 891 MT, and 417 hectares of crops were wiped out.

Livestock and poultry damage and losses totaled P7.2 million, with 12,771 heads of chickens, swine, carabaos, ducks, and goats killed.

The DA said it was conducting assessment of damage and losses brought by Agaton in the agri-fisheries sector through its regional field offices.

It is also continuously coordinating with concerned national government agencies, local government units and other disaster risk reduction and management-related offices for the impact of the tropical depression, as well as available resources for interventions and assistance.

The agency said that the following assistance will be provided to the affected farmers and fishers:

• P500 million worth of Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas
• P100 million under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) for Western Visayas
• P42.07 million worth of rice seeds, P16.76 million worth of corn seeds, P3.61 million worth of assorted vegetables
• P40,000 worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry from RFO XIII
• Available funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to indemnify affected farmers — VBL, GMA News