MANILA — Agricultural damage in the Philippines due to El Niño has already reached P1.75 billion, data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed.

Based on the DA’s El Niño Bulletin 5, the most affected commodity is rice, with damage amounting to P1.13 billion.

This is followed by corn, high value crops, and livestock.

More than 29,000 farmers have been affected in eight regions, including badly hit MIMAROPA of Region 4.

Potential production losses from 32,231 hectares affected by the dry spell are estimated at 48,332 metric tons for palay, 18,966 MT for corn, and 7,794 MT for high value crops.

The DA maintains this is just a small part of the country's agricultural industry and no major shortfall of rice is expected.

They have distributed assistance to affected farmers, with a total of P379.06 million worth of assistance already given.

Among the assistance provided were high value crops with less water requirement to affected farmers in Iloilo and Negros Occidental, hybrid rice seeds, and fertilizers.

Over 990 rice farmers in Bulacan lose potential harvest due to El Niño

Financial assistance from the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) Program has been given to 71,795 farmers in MIMAROPA, with a total amount of PhP 362.56 million.

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