MANILA - Damage to the country's agriculture sector brought about by Typhoon 'Yolanda' climbed to P6.87 billion, surpassing that caused by tropical storm 'Santi'.
The latest figure from the Department of Agriculture (DA) is nearly double the P3.7 billion the agency reported earlier.
'Yolanda' lay to waste 134,085 hectares of farmland, of which 81,056 hectares were planted to rice. The typhoon destroyed 137,225 metric tons of palay worth P2.23 billion.
Next to rice, the coconut sector incurred P1.49 billion in losses, as Eastern Visayas, which produces a fifth of the country's coconuts, sustained the heaviest damage among the three regions in the Visayas.
Coconuts are the country's top agriculture export and comprises a fourth of the Philippines' merchandise shipments.
The fisheries sector incurred P1.15 billion in losses, followed by the corn industry, with 9,061 hectares laid to waste, destroying 9,452 metric tons worth P117.41 million.
The damage to irrigation facilities reached P1.01 billion.
In light of the heavy toll on Eastern Visayas, the National Food Authority (NFA) is shipping grains from its warehouses in Central Visayas.
“Food items will be moved from the production areas to affected places utilizing DA-supported market mechanisms such as the Barangay Food Terminal/LGU food trading centers,” said Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.
“Functional food warehouses will also be utilized for food stocking,” he said.
Besides rice, the government is sending six refrigerated vans -- three from Manila and Baguio and another three from Albay -- containing frozen chicken, potatoes and other vegetables to Eastern Visayas.
Non-refrigerated vans containing eggs and other dry items would also be sent to Eastern Visayas.
The DA will deploy the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' 1,200-ton vessel anchored in Cagayan de Oro, as well as smaller ships to ferry food items.
Apart from its own equipment, the government has tapped San Miguel Corp to provide poultry supply.
Alacal said the Philippine Coconut Authority will distribute chain-saws for clearing operations, using idle labor in typhoon-ravaged areas to man the equipment for P300 a day.
As for municipal fishermen, the government will provide 1,300 fishing boats equipped with five-horsepower engines and nets.
source: interaksyon.com
