Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)
MANILA – The damage to agriculture due to floods caused by the shear line has reached PHP147 million in seven affected provinces, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Friday.
The provinces of Capiz and Northern Samar have the biggest reported damage at PHP80 million and PHP45 million, respectively.
“‘Yung palayan natin ang pinakamalaki na naapektuhan (Our rice fields are largely affected) about PHP145 million,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.
The other five provinces affected by the shear line include Albay, Masbate, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar and Samar.
The damage also affected 6,486 farmers and 7,415 hectares of land.
De Mesa said the agency’s regional field office is ready to help the farmers with buffer stock of seeds.
“Ito ay more than 2,100 bags. Nagkakahalaga ito ng more than PHP3 million pati ‘yung binhi ng mais, almost PHP2 million at assorted vegetables at ‘yung ating mga livestock and alternative livestock (These are more than 2,100 bags. These are worth more than 3 million including corn seeds, almost PHP2 million and assorted vegetables and our livestock and alternative livestock). This is more than PHP10 million that are ready and available,” he added.
The Agricultural Credit Policy Council would also provide a survival and recovery loan program to all affected farmers. Each of them can borrow PHP25,000 payable in three years without collateral and interest.
Since November is the start of the planting season, de Mesa said farmers can still harvest crops by March or April next year.
The fields will be cleaned and prepared again for the planting of seeds.
The local government units in affected areas and the DA’s regional offices are instructed to help and provide machinery to the farmers if needed. (PNA)
