Bikol Loses P17.4-M Crops to Floods

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 13 2011 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bikol has prepared a rehabilitation plan to cushion the devastation of the prolonged and heavy rains to the livelihood of thousands of farmers especially in Albay and Sorsogon provinces.

According to DA regional executive director Jose V. Dayao, the DA-Bicol regional office has already prepared a rehabilitation plan for the affected farmers and this proposal has been submitted to Secretary Proceso Alcala for approval.

Dayao said the proposal includes among others the procurement by the DA of palay seeds to be turned over to the concerned local government units of Albay and Sorsogon to be distributed to the affected farmers included in the master list.

Meantime, Dayao urges the municipal agriculture service officers to start master-listing the affected farmers.

The continuous heavy rains in Bikol over the past 23 days have caused damage to over 3,071 hectares of rice and 234 hectares high value commercial crops in 12 municipalities in Albay and one municipality in Sorsogon province.

The estimated total production loss is 5,161 metric tons valued at P17.4 million with a total of 2,440 farmers affected.

This partial damage report was consolidated by the regional office of the DA here based on the reports submitted as of January 7 this year by the affected LGUs and validated by the DA regional personnel.

Copy of this report was already forwarded to Sec. Alcala, according to Marilyn V. Sta. Catalina, DA‘s regional technical director for operations and extension. She said that most of the damaged rice crops were newly planted, in the seedbed and vegetative stage. She added that of the total 3,071 rice fields damaged, over 2,516 hectares have chance of recovery and only some 554 hectares have no chance of recovery. (PNA)