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| The Philippines' agriculture sector has incurred damages worth over P700 million due to heavy rains and floods caused by inclement weather in the past week. Photo: Radyo Pilipinas |
TACLOBAN CITY — The Philippines' agriculture sector has been hit hard by heavy rains and floods caused by shear lines, low-pressure areas (LPA), and amihan.
According to the latest report from the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center, the damages incurred have reached a staggering amount of 746.5 million Philippine pesos.
Over 36,307 farmers across the country have been affected by the floods and rains.
Regarding land area, 41,721 hectares of agricultural land have been affected in regions such as MIMAROPA, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga. This has resulted in a volume loss of 14,158 metric tons.
The rice industry has been hit the hardest, with over 33,000 hectares of rice fields damaged, resulting in a volume loss of over 500,000 metric tons.
This is a significant setback for the country's agriculture sector, which relies heavily on rice cultivation for food security and income for farmers.
In response to the damage, the DA is working with local government units (LGUs) and other agencies to assist affected farmers, including seed and loan programs. Efforts are also being made to limit future damage and assist farmers in recovering from the disaster.