P10M damage in Bicol agri due to tropical storm Kristine

Almost P10 million worth of agriculture goods in Bicol were damaged due to severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center said in a news release late Wednesday.

“Based on the initial assessment of the DA Regional Field Office in Bicol Region, damage and losses have been reported in rice and corn amounting to PHP9.75 million affecting 234 farmers,” the DA-DRRM said.

Around 598 metric tons (MT) in 209 hectares of rice and corn plantation were reported damaged, with rice production losses placed at 203 MT amounting to P9.6 million in Camarines Norte. The corn sector incurred 7.50 MT in losses in Camarines Sur worth P167,000.

The DA assured interventions to affected farmers including the distribution of agricultural inputs for rice, corn, and high-value crops including seedlings, drugs, and biologics; P25,000 loanable amount per farmer payable for three years with zero interest; and indemnification of insured farmers through the Philippine Crop Insurance Industry (PCIC). 

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said his department is ready to replant farms damaged by Tropical Storm Kristine once floods subside, with seeds and other inputs already prepositioned in agricultural areas on the path of the storm.

In a news release Thursday, Tiu Laurel said the DA has also initiated early harvesting among farmers and stepped up rice-buying activities of the National Food Authority as preemptive measure to minimize the damage and increase rice buffer stock.

“Unfortunately, the effects of La Niña, particularly Kristine, will hurt our production as we are already at harvest period this wet season,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel. “It is sad news that areas ready for harvest have been reportedly flooded.”

Secretary Tiu Laurel is currently in Washington DC to attend the discussions on agriculture and food at the World Bank’s 2024 annual meetings.

The DA chief said a bright note is that around 70 percent of the area planted to rice during this wet season have already been harvested.

“For now, we have to wait for the actual report to ascertain the damage and the interventions that we need to do to help our farmers and fisherfolk recovery quickly from this calamity,” Secretary Tiu Laurel said.

The Masagana Rice Industry Development Program has forecast loss of 358,000 metric tons in the projected palay harvest of 19.41 million metric tons this year, down from the total last year due to the dry spell caused by El Niño and increased rainfall because of La Niña.

Even so, Undersecretary Christopher Morales, who is in-charge of the Rice Industry Programs, said that rice supply by the end of this year should reach 3.83 million metric tons, enough to cover national consumption for 100 days, helped by timely rice importation.

Earlier, the Department of Budget and Management released to the NFA the P9 billion in palay procurement budget for the fourth quarter. The amount would be enough to buy 7.2 million 50-kilo bags of palay at a price of P25 a kilo.

Secretary Tiu Laurel also told the PCIC, a government corporation under the DA, to immediately process insurance claims to help farmers recover from damages caused by the storm.