The Department of Agriculture (DA) said food supply remains sufficient despite the effects of tropical storm (TS) Maring on rice, corn and other crops which has now reached P2 billion.
Secretary William Dar of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the agency will continue to encourage provinces near Metro Manila to plant more vegetable crops to supplement supply in two months.
Dar said provinces not affected by Maring could supply those which have.
The DA said the spike in prices of vegetables should not be significant as some parts of Benguet, the country’s biggest source of vegetables, were not affected.
The DA said damage caused by Maring is equivalent to 101,818 metric tons (MT) of crops and goods tended by 76,442 farmers and fishers in 85,744 hectares of agriculture areas.
The damage were recorded in Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Soccsksargen.
