BAGUIO CITY – 16,782 farmers in the Cordillera region incurred a total of PhP413 million worth of agricultural damages caused by Tropical Storms Kristine and Leon. The storms affected 7,900 hectares, and agricultural production losses were listed at 19,436 metric tons.
In the final report issued by the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Information System (DRRMIS), the high-value crops garnered the most damage amounting to PhP152 million affecting 1,311 hectares with production losses recorded at 5,913 metric tons.
The rice incurred 131 million affected 5,085 hectares with production losses listed at 6,671 metric tons. The corn sector was third most affected by the two typhoons garnering PhP91.2 million affecting 1,500 hectares and recording 6,843 metric tons of production losses.
The livestock sector incurred PhP6 million worth of animal mortalities, while damage to agriculture infrastructure was recorded at PhP29.2 million.
Among the post-typhoon related activities implemented by DA-CAR was the monitoring of actual field situations for damage and losses incurred in the agriculture and fisheries sector through its Agriculture Program Coordinating Offices (APCO),aside from the dissemination of advisory to the APCOs, local government units, and farmer leaders on farm operation activities, aside from coordination with other National and Regional DRRM-related offices, as well as LGU counterparts in monitoring the impact of both typhoons.
Before the effects of ‘Kristine’ and ‘Leon’, DA-CAR has pre-positioned rice, corn, and high-value crop seeds, drugs, and biologics for livestock and poultry in safe storage facilities, continuously conducted price monitoring for possible changes in the prices of agricultural commodities, aside from monitoring of road networks and mobilization of KADIWA trucks for movement and logistical assistance for agricultural commodities.
The department will implement various forms of assistance for distribution in response to the needs of farmers impacted by the tropical storm, particularly the distribution of agricultural inputs such as rice, corn, vegetable seeds, drugs, and biologics for livestock, following final verification and validation.
Affected farmers’ will also have access to the PhP25,000 loanable amount from the Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, payable in three years at zero interest, and the indemnification of insured affected farmers through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation after undergoing the necessary validation and evaluation process.
DA-CAR has earlier encouraged farmers affected by the two tropical storms to report to their barangay, municipal, city, and provincial local government units on the effects incurred by their farms. By JTLlanes
