The Philippine agriculture sector sustained lost of P1.55 billion in crops and damaged farm infrastructures following the onslaught of three storms in a span of two weeks.
Based on the updated damages report issued by the Agriculture department on Friday, the rice subsector incurred the biggest damage at P1.34 billion from about 95,407 hectares of destroyed farmlands.
The rice paddies of La Union, Pangasinan, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, and Antique were swamped from torrential downpours, while crops were barely standing due to the barrage of harsh wind and rain.
Estimated production loss was at 19,982 metric tons, and about 6,755 bags of palay for planting were reported to have been washed away by floods.
Losses in fisheries totaled P146.58 million in damaged produce and facilities.
The department noted no additional damages to corn, cassava, high-value crops, and livestock from the previous combined value of P68.16 million.
Region III or Central Luzon’s rice crop was hit hardest, with losses reaching P769.97 million, or 57 percent of the updated total damages for the farm sector.
The department is mobilizing its field offices to provide the needed farm inputs as initial relief and assistance to affected farmers and fisherfolk, it said in a statement.