CROP DAMAGE. Rice plants are withered due to the El Niño phenomenon in the municipality of Patnongon, Antique on Feb. 1, 2024. The Department of Agriculture said Thursday (May 2, 2024) the damage caused by El Niño to the agriculture sector has reached an estimated PHP5.9 billion as of April 30, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Patnongon Municipal Agriculture Office)
MANILA – The El Niño phenomenon has so far caused an estimated PHP5.9 billion in damage to Philippine agriculture, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday.
"Iyong latest damage natin as of end of April per Bulletin No. 9 ng DA, ang damage is already PHP5.9 billion, pinakamalaki pa rin is sa rice sector (As per Bulletin No. 9, the damage is already at PHP5.9 billion as of end of April, with the rice sector incurring the biggest damage) at PHP3.1 billion,” DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview.
This was followed by production loss in corn worth PHP1.76 billion and high-value crops pegged at PHP958 million.
De Mesa said the Mimaropa region remained as the most affected area in the country at PHP1.71 billion, followed by Region 6 (Western Visayas) at PHP1.5 billion, the Cordilleras at PHP768 million, and Cagayan Valley at PHP562 million.
He, however, said the 58,000 hectares of rice production area damaged so far is only 2.27 percent of the country’s total area planted for rice, which is over 2 million hectares.
The DA earlier projected around 120,000 hectares of damaged riceland before the onslaught of El Niño.
De Mesa said the early planning, rehabilitation and mitigation measures of the DA, particularly the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), helped ease the effects of the phenomenon.
Aid distribution
To cushion its impacts on farmers and fishers, the DA has provided interventions worth PHP2.18 billion, De Mesa said.
These include the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) worth PHP1.065 billion; and PHP658 million worth of inputs such fertilizers, water pumps and engines that are being distributed through the DA regional field offices, he said.
The DA also provided PHP294.46 million worth of irrigation projects; PHP77.50 million worth of Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan; PHP67.93 million worth of indemnification or insurance benefits for farmers; and PHP65.35 million worth of composting facilities.
Meanwhile, other DA-attached agencies distributed around PHP8.99 million worth of marine machinery and equipment and PHP8 million for rice machinery and equipment; PHP5.19 million worth of coconut seedlings; 66,039 native animals; 616 water pumps; and 111 diversified alternative livelihoods and technologies, among others. (PNA)
