Crop losses due to El Niño hit P12.11 billion

MANILA, Philippines - The amount of agricultural losses due to the dry spell has risen to almost P12.11 billion, data from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) showed.

In a situation report dated May 7, NDCC executive officer Glenn Rabonza said the estimated cost of production lost due to the El Niño phenomenon has reached P12.107 billion.

This is P1.1 billion more than the P11-billion damage expected by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in a moderate El Niño scenario.

Rabonza said the dry spell has destroyed 788,738 metric tons of rice, corn and high-value crops and has affected 542,067 hectares of land. The damages, the NDCC said, have affected the livelihood of 478,725 families nationwide.

Damages were recorded in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and SOCCSKSARGEN.

The latest crop damages were recorded in Cebu where more than 5,600 hectares of crops were destroyed.

NDCC cited a report by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, which stated that the El Niño affected 5,646.88 hectares of rice and corn in 23 municipalities and three cities, namely Danao, Bogo and Toledo.

A total of 5,620 heads of livestock in Central Visayas worth P2.255 million were also affected.

To mitigate the impact of the El Niño, the NDCC said it is coordinating with concerned agencies and local governments to draw measures that will assist affected farmers.

The DA, through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, is still implementing cloud-seeding operations to save the remaining standing crops.

Regional initiatives are also in place. These include the provision of fuel subsidies to farmers in Camarines Sur, Albay and Masbate, the distribution of assorted vegetable seeds in Bicol, the distribution of pesticides designed to prevent higher production losses, the conduct of livelihood trainings, and the holding of consultations on climate change.