The Department of Agriculture (DA) has raised the damage wrought to agriculture by four typhoons
and flooding all over the country at P692.92 million.

DA issued the official update lastAugust 14 and chances are high the estimate would rise further as more reports from Regional Field Units (RFUs) filter in.

In his report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, Undersecretary for Operations Jesus Emmanuel
Paras said DA Central Action Center (DACAC) Situationer Report No. 125 raised the damage estimate caused by typhoons Gorio, Isang, Jolina and Kiko along with flooding in Region 12 and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) based on documented reports by field personnel.

Paras said threats of more cyclones are high based on the information released by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA), which said two more typhoons are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

In spite of these consolidated losses, DA officials are nonetheless optimistic that the overall impact of these typhoons and flooding would not be significant.

Overall, these weather disturbances led to the complete loss of 15,192 metric tons (MT) of palay from rice fields totaling 42,586 hectares.

This volume is insignificant, according to the DA, since it comprises merely 1.56 percent of the national target production of 3,548,959 MT for the July-September period.

Even if the damage to rice increases, DA is still awash with imported Vietnam rice, and the National Food Authority (NFA) is expected to import more grain from Vinafood 1, the company entrusted by Hanoi in handling importations by the Philippines, the world's biggest importer.

The biggest loser was Region 6, Eastern Visayas, which lost 9,014 MT of palay due to Jolina. This figure is 1.11 percent of the regional target for the third quarter.

For corn, the total volume lost was 4,061 MT, or a measly 0.44 percent of the national target production of 2,307,108 MT for the third quarter.

The flooding in Mindanao caused a loss of 2,097 MT, or 1.92 percent of the target production of ARMM.

Marites Bernardo, who heads DACAC, says the figures may be raised upwards on the basis of validated reports from local government units (LGUs.)

She added that DA DA plans to request funding from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to support the procurement of inputs for replanting the damaged crops.

Last June, DA requested NDCC to release P162 million to help mitigate the sufferings of farmers and fisherfolk affected by Typhoons Crising, Dante and Emong.

It is still awaiting the funds from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which is chaired by Defense Secretary Guilberto C. Teodoro Jr. Paras said the value of losses to agriculture due to Typhoon Kiko rose to P117 million from only P78 million last last August 12, affecting 11,075 hectares of crop lands and livestock in provinces of Region 1, Region 3 and Region 4-A.

The value of lost palay is estimated at P28 million, while lost investment for crops in the seedling/vegetative stages is at placed at P79 million, for a total of P106 million.

For corn, the value was P4.5 million and P3.1 million for high-value commercial crops (HVCCs).

Livestock losses were P2.3 million.

Flooding in Mindanao ruined crops and fisheries ventures valued at P239 million, with palay at P137 million, corn at R65 million and P1 million for fisheries.

Typhoon Gorio caused P6.94 million in damage, while Isang ruined crops worth P49.56 million, Jolina caused damage estimated at P280.12 million, while Kiko destroyed crops valued at P117.04 million.

Flooding in Mindanao caused damage valued at P238.95 million.