PHP1.12B agrilosses, PHP1.2B aid from trop cyclones

About 45,408 farmers and fishers have been affected by tropical cyclones Emong, Dante, Crising, and the enhanced southwest monsoon in various regions of the Philippines.

As of Sunday, agricultural losses reached PHP1.12 billion, with rice sector damage accounting for about PHP664.4 million due to 19,819 metric tons of estimated production losses.

High-value crops suffered PHP162.2 million in losses, including vegetables and fruits, while other damages include PHP55.7 million in corn and PHP202.4 million in fisheries.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) spokesperson Arnel De Mesa stated that more than PHP1.2 billion worth of aid is prepositioned for affected farmers and fishers, including agricultural inputs, SURE loans, and indemnification from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

The government is set to release assistance starting next week to help with recovery efforts.