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AROUND
8,000 hectares of rice farms in Pampanga and some in
Bulacan remain inundated, the Department of Agriculture
(DA) reported but did not give crop damage estimates.
Agriculture undersecretary for operations Jesus Paras
said, “Typhoon Egay had flooded an estimated 8,000
hectares of rice lands in Pampanga and some in Bulacan
but we cannot yet give the cost of the damage,”
explaining they still do not have information on whether
the damaged crops are seedlings or already standing
crops.
He also
did not give any opinion on what impact the damaged
crops would have on supplies after the harvest months of
January and February next year.
He said
they also could not yet make an assessment of the full
extent of the damage in the entire area of Central Luzon
since many parts of the region remain flooded as of
yesterday.
The
department is ready to assist farmers who incur losses
because of the floods, Paras said. “If [the crops] are
at the seedling stage, the estimated cost of the damage
would be at P1,000 per hectare.” He indicated this will
be the basis for the aid the department will extend.
“[Affected rice farmers] have until September 15 to
plant palay and we would be willing to distribute free
seeds to them,” he added.
For
areas where the damage is not extensive, the department
would provide rice dryers to enable the farmers avoid
heavier losses.
“For
those who no longer want to plant palay, there are
alternatives. They can either go into corn farming or
plant more vegetables,” he added.
Typhoon
Egay, which developed into a super typhoon, battered
Northern Luzon and dumped heavy rains over the entirety
of Luzon. The typhoon exited the Philippine area of
responsibility Saturday and went on its way to pummel
Taiwan. |
