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E-mailDamage to the farm and fisheries sector caused by the El Niño-induced dry spell has now reached P8 billion as of March 2, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Bernie G. Fondevilla announced on Wednesday, gmanews.tv reports.
“The firm figure is hovering around P8 billion,” Secretary Fondevilla told the press at the sidelines of the ceremony where former secretary Arthur Yap turned over the department's reins to him. Fondevilla said the figure was confirmed and the P11 billion damages earlier reported on March 1 was erroneous, said inquirer.net.
More than half of the damage accounted, or about P4 billion, were for rice and corn crops. High-value crops such as fruits and vegetables sustained minor damage and there was minimal damage to fisheries, Fondavilla said.
Fondevilla estimated that so far 200,000 metric tons (MT) of paddy rice were destroyed in the drought but clarified that additional rice imports depends on whether the 7.2 million MT production target is met and on the final tally of damages, Business World reported. The DA is still consolidating damage reports from affected provinces.
The government is verifying all reports from regional units and some have turned out to be “overstated,” Agriculture Undersecretary Joel Rudinas told the Inquirer. They are reportedly weeding out those claims to find out the real damage.
The figures were taken from the 14 affected provinces: Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Northern Luzon; Bulacan and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon; Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon in the Mimaropa region; Masbate in Bicol; and Antique, Guimaras and Negros Occidental in Western Visayas.
The breakdown of the total farmland affected or volume of crops destroyed could not be given at the moment, Fondevilla said. Ilocos and Cagayan Valley accounted for the bulk of the damage, he said.
Earlier projections by the government pegged potential damage from P8 billion to P20 billion.
The country has enough rice stocks for local consumption with 1.1 million MT in storage on top of commercial and household stocks, said Jessup Navarro, National Food Authority administrator.
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