MANILA, Philippines — The damage and production losses suffered by the Philippine agriculture sector from the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat and successive tropical cyclones have climbed to ₱1.73 billion, with more than 50,000 farmers and fisherfolk affected, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The latest DA assessment, which includes the impacts of Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay and Tropical Depression Neneng, covered 40,954 hectares of agricultural areas and recorded about 43,220 metric tons of production losses.
The affected areas include the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Western Visayas.
Rice bears the biggest blow
Rice accounted for the largest share of the reported agricultural losses, with about 26,900 metric tons of production losses valued at approximately ₱974.82 million.
High-value crops followed with losses estimated at ₱540.11 million, involving vegetables, spices, fruits, legumes, root crops and other agricultural products. Corn recorded about ₱85.33 million in losses, while cassava also suffered damage.
The damage was not limited to crops.
The DA also reported losses involving livestock, fisheries, irrigation facilities, farm structures, machinery and equipment. Fisheries and aquatic resources alone sustained about ₱9.26 million in damage, while livestock losses were estimated at ₱14.85 million.
Thousands of hectares may still recover
Despite the scale of the destruction, the DA said there is still a chance for many affected farms to recover.
Of the 40,954 hectares affected, around 31,721 hectares, or roughly 77.5%, were still considered potentially recoverable. About 9,232 hectares were assessed as beyond recovery.
However, the DA warned that the figures could still rise as regional offices continue validating reports from affected communities.
Government rolls out assistance
To help farmers and fisherfolk restart production, the DA has prepared around ₱210.93 million worth of agricultural inputs, including rice, corn and vegetable seeds.
The National Food Authority is also set to provide 3,631 bags of rice to affected local government units in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and MIMAROPA.
Affected farmers may likewise access interest-free loans of up to ₱25,000 under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, with a three-year repayment period. The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. has also allocated an initial ₱35.67 million in indemnification for 5,005 insured farmers and fisherfolk.
Food prices remain a concern
The agricultural losses are also raising concerns about the availability and prices of food products, particularly vegetables and other crops affected by prolonged rainfall.
The DA recently said vegetable prices could ease as weather conditions improve, although supply disruptions caused by the recent weather systems continue to affect markets.
Meanwhile, farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) urged the government to prioritize restoring domestic agricultural production rather than immediately relying on imports following weather-related losses.
The group said farmers need timely access to seeds, fertilizer, credit and markets to quickly resume production.
The latest agricultural damage estimate comes as authorities continue dealing with the broader effects of the recent weather disturbances. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that 7.4 million people, or about 2.1 million families, had been affected by Habagat and Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay as of Saturday.
With assessments still ongoing, the ₱1.73-billion figure may not yet be the final cost of the successive storms and Habagat on Philippine agriculture.
And with thousands of hectares of farmland still under recovery, the bigger question now is whether the damage will eventually translate into tighter food supplies and higher prices in the coming weeks.
Leave a Reply