MORE than P5-million worth of agricultural products have been damaged due to the onslaught of tropical storm Vicky in Region XI.
In Bulletin No. 3 issued by the Department of Agriculture, initial reports showed that the damage and losses incurred in agriculture was recorded at P5.37-million affecting 1,435 farmers and 663 hectares of agricultural areas.
The volume of production loss was recorded at 143 metric tons affecting commodities include rice, high value crops, and fisheries.
The DA, on the other hand, is in close coordination with concerned local government units (LGUs) and other Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM)-related offices for the impact of TS “VICKY” and available resources for interventions and assistance. Close monitoring is also on-going for possible damage and losses that may be incurred in the agri-fisheries sector.
Meanwhile, the DA assured affected farmers and fishers of the following available assistance: rice, corn and assorted vegetable seed reserves from DA Regional Field Offices (RFOs); Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC); and indemnification fund from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to pay for the losses incurred.
