Iloilo City (PIA) – The damage to crops due to the dry spell brought about by the El Niño in Western Visayas has grown to almost P1.3 billion based on the report of the Department of Agriculture 6 (DA-6).

During the coordination meeting on updates of El Niño Effects and Response, the DA-6 revealed that despite the many advisories released by the DA-6 and National Irrigation Administration, the record shows that most farmers still went to establish rice crops during the dry season, which is from Sept. 15, 2023 to Feb. 15, 2024, which contributed to the increase in damages caused by El Niño.  

The latest progress report revealed that a total of 26,362.67 hectares of rice, corn, high-value crops and cassava had been affected resulting to a production loss of 58,459.22 metric tons or P1,281,847,901.25 affecting a total of 31,752 farmers across the region.

DA-6, according to Eledia, is now fast tracking all interventions to augment the 2024 wet season establishment under the regular program and on top of that, is also proposing to utilize the DA’s quick response fund (QRF) to expedite the rehabilitation.

Part of their intervention and rehabilitation, DA-6 also revealed that under their Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (RCEP), there is already an ongoing delivery of seed to the local government units (LGUs) for distribution to farmers in the region in preparation for the start of the 2024 wet season cropping.

Eledia also said that the DA’s Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program that gave out P5,000.00 in financial assistance to farmers was also timely and that it also helped mitigate the effects of El Niño.

“We are now complying with the submission of a master list of affected farmers and fisherfolks in the region for submission to the central office as DA prepares its commitment to assist them,” Eledia added.  (AAL/EJB, PIA6)