Agri damage from ‘Ursula’ reaches P633-M

SWAMPED. A flooded rice field in Dagami, Leyte after the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula. In its latest monitoring bulletin on Friday afternoon (Dec. 27, 2019), the Department of Agriculture placed initial agricultural damage and losses brought about by the typhoon at PHP633.72 million. (PNA photo by Sarwell Meniano)

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has placed initial agriculture damage and losses brought about by Typhoon “Ursula” (Phanfone) at PHP633.72 million.

In its latest monitoring bulletin as of Friday noon, the department’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operation Center said the volume of production loss has reached 969 metric tons affecting 4,100 hectares and 44,061 farmers and fisherfolk in MIMAROPA region, Regions VI (Western Visayas), and VIII (Eastern Visayas).

The affected commodities include rice, corn, fisheries, and agri-facilities.

The department said the fisheries sector incurred the most damage at 92.7 percent, or about PHP587 million–which include fishponds, fish cages, fish pens, seaweeds, payao, motorized and non-motorized bancas, rafts, and boundary markers.

The DA said teams from the affected regions have been deployed to conduct damage and loss assessment, rapid damage and needs assessment, and field validation in the affected areas.

A total of 8,532 bags of rice seeds, 4,622 bags of corn seeds, and 1,843 kilograms of high-value crop seeds are ready for distribution.

The Agriculture Credit and Policy Council has an available fund of PHP60 million for emergency loans under the Survival Recovery Program to assist typhoon-affected farmers.

Furthermore, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation has available funds to pay for the losses incurred and will fast track the processing of crop insurance of farmers affected by the typhoon.