TABUK CITY, Kalinga (PIA) — The city government of Tabuk has expedited its assessment of the impact of Typhoon Nika to the agriculture sector in the city.
Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero directed the Office for the City Agricultural Services (OfCAS) headed by Lim Ducyogen to accelerate the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) to determine damages and losses in agriculture caused by typhoon Nika as well as recovery needs of the sector before the succeeding typhoons Ofel and Pepito hit the province.
He also instructed the OfCAs to assist affected insured farmers to process their indemnity claims with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.
Ducyogen reported that at least 1,000 hectares of rice farms sustained damages from Typhoon Nika, as of Nov. 13, 2024.
The figure is expected to increase as assessment of reported damages continues.
Initial reports estimate agricultural losses in the city from Typhoon Nika at P8,189,221, with rice losses at P6,000,000; corn at P1,199,000, and high-value crops at P170,000, affecting a total of 182 farmers.
“At least 1,000 hectares rice farms ti initial report nga damage during Typhoon Nika as of November 13. Ngem manarimaan nga agmas-masterlist ken ur-urayen dagitoy reports, ken ivalvalidate met laeng, kitkitaen dagiti damaged areas,” Ducyogen said.
Many of the affected rice crops damaged by flash floods and strong winds were in their booting to maturity stages.
“Dagidyay pagay nga haan nga natamaan idi Kristine nga booting ken maturity stage da tadta , dagidiyay ti nataam tadta nga dubli. Dagitoy nadali da amin,” he added.
OfCAS projects a 30 percent reduction in rice yield this cropping season due to the damage from successive typhoons, estimating a decline in rice harvest to 40–70 cavans per hectare from the original target of 80–100 cavans per hectare.
“Ti expected nga harvest tayo tadta nga wet season ket 80-100 cavans per hectare, nagbalin nga 40 -70 cavans gapu ti typhoons,” Ducyogen noted.
Meanwhile, reported losses in agriculture due to Typhoon Kristine was estimated at P46,500,489, affecting 2,505 farmers.
Kalinga is the top producer of rice in the Cordillera region, contributing 34 percent or 112,839.99 metric tons of the staple food to the total regional production in 2023, according to the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority. (JDP/RGA-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
