Damage to the agriculture sector of Tropical Depression Agaton climbed to P2.3 billion, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The DA attached agency said as of 12 noon yesterday (April 20), Agaton’s total cost of damage is equivalent to 70,064 metric tons of goods tended by 54,013 farmers and fishers in 25,632 hectares of affected areas.
The monitoring captured data from Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen and Caraga, with additional damage and losses still expected to be recorded, the DA added.
The agency said the increase is mainly due to additional entries for infrastructure and irrigation facilities.
Bulk of Agaton’s recorded damage is from rice at P947.3 million followed by fisheries at P778.6 million, high value crops at P241.8 million, irrigation and agri facilities at P203.3 million, corn at P53.2 million as well as livestock and poultry at P37.5 million.
The DA said readily-available assistance that will be provided to farmers and fisherfolk affected also increased to at least P715.47 million from P662.5 million.
From the said amount, P500 million will be from quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas; P100 million under the survival and recovery assistance program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council for Western Visayas; P80.16 million worth of rice seeds; P24.33 million worth of corn seeds; P10.85 million worth of assorted vegetables; P130,000 worth of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry from Northern Mindanao and Caraga; and available funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to indemnify affected farmers.
