Around 228.80 hectares of rice plantation and 74.59 hectares of high-value crops have been recorded by the Department of Agriculture Cordillera (DA-CAR) as damages left by Tropical Storm (TS) ‘Kristine’ in the region.
In its October 28, 2024, DA-CAR Disaster Risk Reduction Management Information System (DRRMIS) report, the total number of hectares affected by the tropical storm was listed at 303.49 hectares, with the remaining hectares planted to other agricultural products.
The cost of production based on the cost of inputs was at PhP166,862, while the production loss based on farmgate price was PhP19.5 million, with the total cost listed at PhP19.8 million.
Farmers in CAR earlier harvested 28,049 metric tons of rice and 102,300 metric tons of corn before the tropical storm’s entry.
DA-CAR is gathering data on damages from the provinces, which will serve as the basis for the department’s intervention after undergoing the validation process.
Monitoring of actual field situations for damage and losses incurred in the agriculture and fisheries sector is currently being done by DA-CAR through its Agriculture Program Coordinating Offices (APCO), aside from the dissemination of advisory to the APCOs, local government units (LGUs) 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 the typhoon ‘Kristine’.
DA-CAR has also 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.
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, and vegetable seeds, drugs, and biologics for livestock will be implemented by the department following 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 encourages farmers affected by the tropical storm to report to their barangay, municipal, city, and provincial local government units on the effects incurred by their farms due to the typhoon. By JTLlanes
