The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday reported that the wrath of the southwest monsoon, enhanced Super Typhoon (STY) Goring, has resulted in ₱1.14 billion worth of damages and losses in agriculture products in five regions.
According to its Bulletin No. 8, DA said the production volume loss in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas totaled 51,283 metric tons (MT) in 44,928 hectares of agricultural land.
Among the agricultural products, rice sustained the most volume loss with 41,238 MT, amounting to ₱979.42 million damage cost.
About 38,949 hectares of agricultural land were affected.
Corn followed as the most damaged agriculture product, with 9,723 MT volume loss or an estimated ₱148.06 million in 5,911 hectares of agricultural land.
Other high-value crops were severely affected as these sustained 322 MT volume loss in 68 hectares of agricultural land. The impact has ammounted to ₱12.50 million.
The agriculture department also reported that there are 1,488 livestock and poultry that succumbed amidst the enhanced southwest monsoon's onslaught. The livestock include cattle, carabao, goats, chicken, swine, sheep, duck, turkey, and guinea fowl.
The loss equates to a total value of ₱2.59 million.
Assistance for affected farmers
The 35,006 farmers affected will be receiving ₱100 million worth of rice, corn, assorted vegetable seeds, as well as drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.
The DA said affected farmers will also be allowed to loan up to ₱25,000 under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC).
The rehabilitation of affected lands will be paid under the Quick Response Fund (QRF).
