Losses in rice, corn production due to Juaning ‘negligible’—DA

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Thursday that losses in rice and corn production in the Bicol region due to tropical storm Juaning were negligible.

The DA added that dams remained safe, as of Thursday, and were “far from reaching their spilling levels.”

Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Joel S. Rudinas said in a report that as of July 27, the 2,401 hectares of rice that were damaged in Region 5 (Bicol) represented less than 1 percent of the regional total of 84,591 hectares.

The affected 190 hectares of corn accounted for less than 0.1 percent of the 7,126 hectares of standing corn in the region.

“The effect is negligible,” Rudinas said.

DA Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said that some P17 billion were so far reported from Region 5, as of July 27.

The DA, citing reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said that flooding had affected the rice fields in the eight villages of Lopez, Quezon, namely: Barangays (villages) Villa Hermosa, Magilayan, San Roque, Tan-ag, Ilaya, Bakungan, Lalaguna and Rizal Barrio.

Meanwhile, the DA said its regional field unit in Region 4-B, otherwise known as Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), has been checking on the report that rains actually benefited the farmers in Oriental Mindoro.