Govt eyes early rice imports to offset P12-B crop damage

The destruction of an estimated P11.7 billion in crops due to typhoons has the government reviewing proposals for the early importation of rice to avoid a possible shortage of the staple. Agriculture Undersecretary for Finance Antonio A. Fleta said that as of Oct. 4, the damage inflicted by Typhoons Pedring and Quiel on paddy rice advanced by 72.4 to P11 billion from P6.38 billion. Government is now considering whether rice importation could start by January next year, he said. Department of Agriculture (DA) figures show that by Oct. 1, lost palay was recorded at around 448,469 metric tons (MT). But an Oct. 4 update showed that crop-damage rose to 760,000 MT, and the figures could still climb. Fleta said the bulk of the damage was in Region 3 which lost an estimated P8 billion worth of maturing palay. He added that other affected regions like CAR, Regions 1, 2 and 4-A share in the remaining P3 billion loss. Damage to corn, high value crops, livestock and fisheries infrastructure totaled P700 million. The DA instructed the National Food Authority to buy wet palay from farmers to make sure growers from typhoon-stricken areas have money for their personal needs, The NFA has the capability to dry the wet palay on flatbed dyers. The DA also started distributing certified seeds to farmers in typhoon-ravaged areas and a credit program for them with a plant-now-pay-later scheme. The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation will release P334 million to Luzon farmers whose crops were damaged by the typhoons last week to enable rice and corn farmers to recover their losses and plant again. Crop Insurance president Jovy C. Bernabe said that considering the magnitude and severity of the calamity, this is the biggest payout the agency would release to date. He added preliminary assessment showed that 30 provinces in Luzon had insured about P333.93 million worth of crops, mostly palay. Farmers who had insured their crops totaled 26,794, with a combined farm area of 40,138 hectares. —MRT/VS, GMA News