Agri damage hits P9.73B

MANILA, Philippines - Damage sustained by the agriculture sector from the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda has risen to P9.73 billion, with the rice subsector incurring the highest damage in terms of value.

The super typhoon that demolished rice lands in Regions 6, 7 and 8 has stomped the country’s dream to attain self-sufficiency in the grain by the end of the year.

The Agriculture department said flat growth in palay production could be expected this year, sufficient to cover domestic requirements but not enough to maintain a 90-day buffer stock.

Agriculture undersecretary Dante Delima, also the National Rice Program Coordinator, said that by year-end, the Philippines would only be able to achieve a 95 to 97 percent self-sufficiency level as production is seen to reach around only 18.03 million MT this year, the same level as last year.

The Agriculture department originally targeted to produce between 19 million MT to 20 million MT this year.

“We can meet the domestic requirement with this level of production but we can only attain a 50-day buffer stock,” he said.

Under a 100 percent self-sufficiency level, we would be able to provide for both the domestic requirement and the 90-day buffer stock requirement.”

Demolished by the typhoon were 143, 774 metric tons (MT) of palay planted in 77, 476 hectares, 36, 038 hectares of which may still recover. Production loss was placed at P2.33 billion.

The National Food Authority (NFA) Council has approved the importation of 500,000 metric tons (MT) of rice under a government-to-government tender before the end of the year to increase the country’s buffer stock by at least 14 days.

The state grains procurement agency is eyeing Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as sources of rice because the government already has procurement agreements with these countries.

Delima has asked the NFA to bring in by December the first 300,000 MT to augment the relief operations in Visayas.

He said the ongoing harvest in unaffected areas would still contribute to the buffer stock.

Delima said that before the onslaught of Yolanda, the Philippines had a buffer stock good for at least 85 days, but that has been depleted because of the calamity.

Field validations on the extent of typhoon damage to farm lands is still ongoing.

To date, production losses in the corn sector has reached P284.65 million equivalent to 22,119 MT of produce planted in 20, 951 hectares.

The coconut subsector sustained damage worth P1.52 billion as Yolanda swooped down on 41, 662 hectares of coconut plantations.

Substantial damage was also inflicted  on livestock and fisheries with production losses valued at P2.32 billion and P1.06 respectively.

The cost of damage to irrigation and farm infrastructure has risen to P1.63 billion.