Tropical depression Agaton’s damage to the agriculture sector has breached P3 billion, based on latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The DA attached agency said as of 10 a.m. Friday, Agaton’s total cost of damage is equivalent to 88,997 metric tons of goods tended by 67,586 farmers and fishers in 32,039 hectares of affected areas.
The current monitoring captured data from Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga, with additional damage and losses still expected to be recorded, the DA said.
The agency said the increase is mainly due to additional reports of damage in Western and Eastern Visayas, Davao and Caraga.
Rice made up the bulk of Agaton’s recorded damage at P1.3 billion, followed by fisheries at P930.5 million; high value crops, P297.9 million; irrigation and agri facilities, P390.2 million; corn, P60 million; livestock and poultry, P41.6 million; and machineries and equipment, P1.8 million.
At least P723.07 million in readily available assistance will be provided to affected farmers and fisherfolk, the DA said. Of that, P500 million will be from the quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas and P100 million is under the survival and recovery assistance program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council for Western Visayas.
There will also be P87.76 million worth of rice seeds, P24.33 million worth of corn seeds, P10.85 million worth of assorted vegetables and P130,000 worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry from Northern Mindanao and Caraga.
Available funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. will also be used to indemnify affected farmers. – Jed Macapagal
