Florita agriculture damage soars to P1.13 billion

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to agriculture due to Severe Tropical Storm Florita has climbed to P1.13 billion as more regions reported losses, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Data from the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center showed that 6,647 farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Bicol were affected by the storm.

Volume of production loss rose to 66,633 metric tons (MT), affecting 44,922 hectares of agricultural land.

Corn accounted for 90.79 percent of affected agricultural products. Losses amounted to P1.02 billion.

Up to 11,004 hectares of ricefields were affected, with losses placed at P82.83 million.

At least 188 hectares of high-value crops, including vegetables, were affected. Damage was estimated at P20.43 million.

In Cagayan alone, damage to agriculture was placed at P195.6 million.

Pearlita Mabasa, provincial agriculture office chief, said corn farmers incurred the biggest losses at P128.6 million followed by rice farmers at P40.8 million; fishermen, P24.8 million, and livestock owners, P1.2 million.

Mabasa said 17,502 hectares of cornfields were damaged in Alcala, Tuguegarao City, Solana, Lal-lo, Camalaniugan, Sto. Nin?o, Gattaran, Enrile and Baggao.

Also affected were 10,608.86 hectares of ricefields in Baggao, Camalaniugan, Rizal, Buguey, Alcala, Sto. Nin?o, Sta. Teresita, Allacapan, Piat, Enrile, Iguig, Amulung, Aparri, Lal-lo, Solana and Gattaran.

Gov. Manuel Mamba said assessment and validation of damage in remote villages are ongoing.

The DA had earlier said Kadiwa stores may be mobilized to help affected residents.

The department said it has prepared various forms of assistance, such as 9,046 bags of rice seeds, 3,840 bags of corn seeds and 600 kilos of assorted vegetable seeds for farmers; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry raisers, and fingerlings for fisherfolk.

Affected farmers and fisherfolk may avail themselves of loans under the Survival and Recovery program of the DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

The DA’s quick response funds may also be tapped to rehabilitate affected areas. – Victor Martin