Agriculture loses P7.66-B due to Typhoons Quinta, Rolly

Around 162,693 hectares of farmlands were damaged affecting 89,259 farmers and fisherfolk in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, 5, 6, and 8. (File Photo: NISG-SL/PAO-SLABD NAVY ISLANDER 312(NV312) via Philippine Navy/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported the extent of damage and losses to agriculture caused by Typhoons Quinta and Rolly has reached PHP7.66 billion as of Monday afternoon.

Around 162,693 hectares of farmlands were damaged affecting 89,259 farmers and fisherfolk in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions 1, 2, 3, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, 5, 6, and 8.

Volume of production loss was recorded at 279,071 metric tons (MT). The affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, fisheries, livestock, irrigation, and agri-facilities.

The DA assured affected farmers and fisherfolk of assistance such as distribution of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds; animal stocks and feeds; tilapia and bangus fingerlings; financial assistance and indemnification fund from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) for the losses incurred.

Meanwhile, former DA Undersecretary and convenor of Tugon Kabuhayan Asis Perez, in a virtual presser on Monday, proposed to take into consideration to include also the “consequential” damage caused by calamities to the lives of farmers and fishers.

“When there’s typhoon, it’s not just the damage to the crops that matter, it’s also the damage in the life of the farmers. The damage estimate, for ‘Rolly’ alone, is PHP3 billion, which we think is lower than the actual damage. We are only looking at the damage to actual crops. How about the damage to the life of the farmers?” he said.

More than the actual damage caused by the two typhoons (Quinta and Rolly), Perez said the government “must also look at the consequential damage. Some of the crops may not bear fruit until after a year, others even more.”

He also proposed to develop a more comprehensive insurance coverage for farmers, and build more post-harvest facilities such as drying machinery and storage houses.

Rene Cerilla of Pambansang Kilusan ng Samahan ng mga Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) has agreed, saying right now, it is hard for farmers to apply for insurance coverage for their crops.

He urged the DA to also include traditional crops such as vegetables and coconut, among others to be insured by the PCIC.

(PR)