Agri damage from Kristine hits P80.80M

The damage and losses on agriculture as Severe Tropical Storm Kristine wreaks havoc in Luzon and the Visayas has reached over P80 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Friday.

Citing assessments from its Regional Field Offices (RFOs) in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), MIMAROPA, Bicol Region and Western Visayas, the DA said the damage to rice, corn, high value crops and livestock stands at P80.80 million.

The weather disturbance has so far affected 2,864 farmers and ravaged 1,570 hectares of agricultural areas.

Total volume of production loss stood at 5,287 metric tons (MT). 

Rice is the most hit commodity with value loss of P79.3 million and destroyed volume of 5,228 MT.

Corn followed with a total loss of P1.34 million and volume loss of 55 MT.

For high-value crops, the damage incurred amounted to P106,990 with volume loss of 4 MT.

Meanwhile, livestock and poultry losses currently amount to P11,400 which includes swines.

“These values are subject for further validation,” the DA said.

“As field assessments continue, further damage and losses are anticipated, potentially impacting additional commodities,” it added.

In areas being affected by Kristine, the Agriculture Department said the following actions have been undertake:

• Continuous monitoring of the actual field situation for damage and losses incurred in the agriculture and fisheries sector
• Continuous dissemination of advisory to the Agricultural Program Coordinating Offices (APCOs), local government units (LGUs), and farmer leaders on farm operation activities
• Coordination with other National and Regional DRRM-related offices, as well as LGU counterparts, in monitoring the impacts of Kristine
• Positioned rice, corn, and high value crops seeds, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry in safe storage facilities
• Conduct price monitoring for possible changes in the prices of agricultural commodities
• Monitoring of road networks and mobilization of Kadiwa trucks for movement and logistical assistance for agricultural commodities.

The DA added it has made available the following interventions amid the onslaught of the tropical storm:

• P80.21 M worth of agricultural inputs (rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, drugs and biologics for livestocks) from DA Regional Field Offices CAR,  III, IV-A, IV-B, V, and VIII
• Up to P25,000 loanable amount from the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), payable in three years at zero interest
• Indemnification of insured affected farmers through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

The agency said its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center will continuously provide updates regarding Kristine.—AOL, GMA Integrated News