No plan to import rice due to 'Juan,' Aquino says

The government currently has no plan to import rice to make up for the damage Typhoon Juan wrought upon palay fields in northern Luzon, President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III said Thursday. At a media briefing in Isabela, one of the provinces hardest hit by the typhoon, Aquino said the damage to agriculture is not considered to be very significant. "Yung extent ng damage rin kasi is not considered, [in the] total scheme of things, to be that great so at this point in time, we are not contemplating any importation," he said. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, who was also in Isabela, said the damage was "minimal" because farmers were able to harvest palay before Juan hit the area.

As of Wednesday, the Agriculture Department pegged the damage to the farm sector at P4.77 billion. The palay subsector lost 222,336 metric tons (MT) of standing crops and 600,000 MT of unmilled rice, the department said. Paddy rice destroyed was valued at P3.78 billion, Agriculture assistant secretary Salvador Salacup said Wednesday. The losses were valued based on consolidated reports from the most devastated areas including I, II, III, and Cordillera Administrative Region. Apart from palay, 'Juan' destroyed P598.41 million worth of high-value commercial crops and P312.29 million worth of corn. A total of 23,976 MT of corn planted to 13,280 hectares were also damaged. Typhoon Juan slammed Northern Luzon just before noon Monday, packing maximum winds of 225 kms per hour directing impacting on 16 provinces in CAR, Regions I, II, and III. — RSJ, GMANews.TV