Agriculture damage from Ruby now P1.9B

MANILA, Philippines – Damage sustained by the agriculture sector due to the onslaught of Typhoon Ruby (international name: Hagupit) is now at P1.9 billion ($44.77 million*), the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Thursday, December 11.

The extent of damage on rice lands increased, the DA said.

But most rice farmers whose cultivation areas lie in the immediate path of the typhoon were able to harvest maturing crops before landfall, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said.

Major suppliers of vegetables, livestock, and poultry products to Metro Manila also did not suffer from the typhoon destruction.

Most affected by Ruby were cultivation areas in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, and Cebu.

Also affected were Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, and Surigao del Norte.

In its latest damage report, the DA noted that the aggregate value of damages in the crops, fisheries, and livestock sub-sectors rose to P1.88 billion ($42.33 million).

On Monday, the agriculture department reported a damage to agriculture worth P1.02 billion ($22.96 million).

Out of the 55,872 hectares of rice cultivation areas affected, 37,314 hectares may still recover.

Lost to Ruby were 78,497 metric tons (MT) of palay amounting to P1.55 billion ($34.89 million).

Corn corps damaged were valued at P51.7 million ($1.16 million), covering 8,159 MT of damaged crops. Out of the 24,402 hectares of corn cultivation areas affected, 24,228 hectares may still recover.

Damage to high value crops is now at P226.4 million ($5.09 million); fisheries, P48.2 million ($1.08 million); and livestock, P6.5 million ($146,155.42).

Also, damage to farm and fisheries infrastructure rose to P34.75 million ($781,380.74).

Typhoon damage to the coconut and sugar industries are also being monitored by the agriculture department.

As of Thursday, December 11, damage to coconut crops were seen in Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Eastern Samar, and Leyte.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), meanwhile, also noted “minimal” damage to sugarcane crops in Leyte, Camarines Sur, and Batangas.

“Canes were lodged but were not uprooted,” said SRA Administrator Ma Regina Martin.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and surrounding provinces were spared from Ruby’s wrath, thus no price spikes were seen in the major farm commodities in metro markets. – Rappler.com