Dry spell damage to crops hits P2.19 B

The amount of damage to crops caused by the dry spell has climbed to P2.19 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday.

The dry spell affected 29,714 hectares of rice. Of the total area, 14,298 hectares may not recover, the DA said.

The damage to rice crops has been placed at P1.21 billion, with 25,086 farmers affected.

Rice production areas affected by the drought are located in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan in Luzon; Oriental Mindoro and Palawan; Camarines Sur and Masbate in Bicol, and Agusan del Norte, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga, all in Mindanao.

The damage to corn amounted to P958.43 million with 27,187 hectares affected. Of the affected corn farms, 22,319 hectares have no chance of recovery.

Corn farms affected by the drought are located in Masbate, the Visayas and in Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Sarangani, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, all in Mindanao.

The damage to high-value crops, which include fruit and vegetables, has risen to P19.46 million with 210 hectares of production areas affected. Of the total area, 100 hectares may not recover.

Affected were production areas in Masbate, Misamis Oriental and Agusan del Norte.

The impact of the dry spell prompted the government to import an additional 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice.

Also approved on standby is another 250,000 MT, which would be used in case domestic production drops due to the dry spell.

The National Food Authority will accept and open bids for the supply contract of 250,000 MT of rice on June 5.

This was the country’s second programmed rice import for the year, after awarding in February to Vietnam and Thailand the supply contracts for the 500,000 MT of rice that arrived between March and April.

The DA has reduced this year’s palay production target to 19.02 million MT from 20 million MT.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the department is working with the National Irrigation Administration to speed up the installation of small-scale irrigation systems and rainwater harvesting facilities.

The DA has started distributing droughtresistant palay seeds and has been assisting farmers adjust their cropping season.

The DA is conducting soil mapping on 11.2 million hectares of land to determine its nutrient content.

The agency has so far completed soil mapping in the Ilocos, Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas regions and in the Zamboanga Peninsula.