EL NIÑO has damaged over P15 billion in crops, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
A bulletin released last Friday said the long dry spell damaged crops worth P15.3 billion in 15 regions and affected 333,195 farmers and fisherfolk.
Production loss for key crops and aquaculture was recorded at 784,344 metric tons (MT). This included 330,717 MT of rice (P5.93 billion); 327,310 MT of corn (P5.94 billion); 112,681 MT of high-value crops (P3.27 billion); 2,320 MT of cassava (P55.6 million); and 11,317 MT of aquaculture produce (P52.4 million), DA’s report indicated.
Losses were also incurred in the coconut sector affecting 3,995 hectares valued at P9.8 million and P37.97 million of damages reported in livestock and poultry.
For rice, the affected area was 109,481 hectares or 5.12 percent of the total planted area, while the production loss was approximately 3.59 percent of the target output for the dry cropping season this year.
Around 131,787 hectares, meanwhile, were affected, representing 11.96 percent of the total planted area, with a production loss of 7.28 percent of the target production.
Affected areas include the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga.
In response, the DA implemented several interventions worth P14.54 billion to support affected stakeholders. This includes P8.59 billion provided through the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance and P4.72 billion in production support.
Loans and other financial support were provided by the DA’s regional field offices, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.
Additional measures include cloud seeding operations, installation of 616 water pumps and rehabilitation of irrigation canals. The DA also promoted water-saving techniques such as the alternate wetting-and-drying method, covering 162,623 hectares, and quick turnaround strategies benefitting 3,875 hectares and 1,657 farmers.
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