‘Maring’ agri damage hits P300M

MANILA, Philippines – Farm sector damage caused by tropical storm Maring (international name Trami), which enhanced the southwest monsoon, has reached more than P300 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Maring battered Regions I (Ilocos), III (Central Luzon), IV-A (CALABARZON), IV-B (MIMAROPA), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Read: 1.7 million affected by monsoon rain, 19 dead

It also inundated Metro Manila, prompting 5 cities and a municipality to declare a state of calamity.

As of Wednesday, August 21, a DA report showed the agriculture sector suffered P300,963,610 in damage.

Some 3,655 metric tons (MT) of crops covering 6,603 hectares were destoryed. 614 hectares have no chance of recovery.

The combined effects of the storm and habagat on the sector as of August 21 are broken down as follows:

• Rice crops – 3,159 MT valued at P291,762,820; 6,407 hectares affected with 437 hectares beyond recovery

• Corn crops – 496 MT valued at P7,601,570; 496 hectares affected with 167 hectares beyond recovery.

• High-value crops – P155,000; 11 hectares affected with 10 hectares beyond recovery.

• Fisheries – P957, 490

• Livestock/poultry – P484,730

Combined damage of Labuyo, Maring

Prior to Maring, typhoon Labuyo (international name Utor) hit the country on the 2^nd week of August, affecting major parts of Luzon.

Agriculture damage caused by Labuyo, Maring and the southwest monsoon totaled more than P2.6 billion.

Below is the breakdown of damage to the farm sector per commodity:

• Rice crops – 12,461 MT valued at P484,480,610; 26,988 hectares affected, with 1,768 beyond recovery

• Corn crops – 203,261 MT valued at P2,122,432,654; 98,997 hectares affected, with 20,037 beyond recovery

• High value crops – 1,762 MT valued at P7,055,150; 720  hectares affected, with 11 hectares beyond recovery

• Banana – 14,825 MT valued at P130,731,654 ;1025  hectares affected, with 903 hectares beyond recovery

• Fisheries – P1,756,850

• Livestock – P4,694,480

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said in a briefing that this year’s target production of 8 million MT for corn crops would not be affected despite the damage wrought by the weather disturbances.

He explained affected communities have sufficient buffer stocks of seeds.

“We have sufficient seeds for replacement cropping,” he said.

Alcala said the government continues to help through crop insurance, seed stock and equipment assistance for farmers.

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is still assessing the impact of  the damage caused by torrential rain this August on the national economy.

In a text message to Rappler, NEDA director general Arsenio Balisacan said, “We’re working on it. We hope to have the numbers in the next couple of days.” – Rappler.com