The Department of Agriculture in Caraga (DA-13) has assured rice and corn farmers badly affected by Typhoon Odette of immediate support including the provision of seeds.
Emmylou Presilda, DA-13 information officer, told the Philippine News Agency Wednesday that the agency has standby rice seeds that are ready for distribution to the affected areas in the region.
“We have standby rice seeds of more than 400 sacks. This will be augmented soonest as we are now validating reports from the field,” Presilda said.
Two days after Odette made landfall in Mindanao, the DA central office said it will utilize around PHP852.47 million in standby funds to aid the distressed farmers affected by the recent typhoon.
Of the total aid, PHP148 million will be used for rice seeds, PHP57.6 million for corn seeds, and another PHP44.6-million for assorted vegetable seeds.
Initial data released by DA-13 showed that PHP152,266,813 worth of damage to agriculture was incurred in rice and corn areas in the region due to the onslaught of “Odette”.
It added that 5,250 hectares of rice fields incurred PHP77,998,061 worth of damage, while 1,934 hectares of corn harvests amounting to PHP74,268,750 were also destroyed.
The biggest damage to rice and corn was recorded in Agusan del Sur worth PHP75,998,500 comprising 154 hectares of rice worth PHP7,004,000, and 1,793 hectares of corn area at PHP68,994,500.
In Agusan del Norte, damage to rice and corn fields was recorded at PHP29,316,145, or 4,225 hectares of rice farms destroyed worth PHP26,256,145, and 90 hectares of corn worth PHP3,060,000.
Surigao del Sur farmers also incurred losses costing a total of PHP23,804,166, or 370 hectares of rice area worth PHP22,541,916, and 36 hectares of corn worth PHP1,262,250.
In Surigao del Norte, a total of 510 rice farms were damaged worth PHP22,196,000, while 15 hectares of corn valued at PHP952,000 were also ravaged in the province of Dinagat Islands.
Presilda said affected rice farmers in the region under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) will be covered by the Philippine Rice Research Institute Agusan (PhilRice-Agusan).
In a separate interview Wednesday, PhilRice-Agusan RCEF coordinator Jasmin Reyes said the assessment in damaged areas is being finalized.
“Our available rice seeds are already allocated to different areas in Caraga Region and Mindanao but there are remaining rice seeds that were not completely claimed by supposed recipients this year. These may be allocated to the needs of our affected rice farmers,” Reyes said.
She added that once the data on the affected rice farmers in the RCEF areas of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte are consolidated, the distribution of seeds will be facilitated.
Source: Philippines News Agency
