BATTERED by strong winds and heavy rains brought by Typhoon "Labuyo" last Monday, farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region suffered some P11,220,995 in damages to their agricultural products.
Initial report from the Department of Agriculture Operations Division showed damages in rice, corn and high value commercial crops in Benguet, Mt. Province, Kalinga and Ifugao.
Ifugao farmers reported the most in damages to corn and rice while Benguet farmers reported damages in high value commercial crops including vegetables like potato, carrots, cabbage, lettuce and other highland crops.
Ifugao suffered P6,793,991 in crop damages with some 1,647 hectares of planted corn and rice affected.
Benguet province, known as the Salad Bowl of the Philippines, reported some 521 hectares of affected agricultural lands planted with high value commercial crops worth P2,397,543.
Some 214 hectares of farm lands in Mt. Province were also affected by the strong rains and winds affecting some P1,944,054 worth of crops.
Kalinga province, meanwhile, suffered the least among four provinces that initially submitted damage reports to the agriculture department with only 11 hectares of its farm lands flattened by strong rains and flooding affecting P85,410 worth of crops.
All over the region, the DA reported damages in rice lands at 405 hectares, corn plantations with 1,520 hectares and high value commercial crop plantations spanning 468 hectares.
Regional Director Marilyn Sta. Catalina said they are still validating reports from the provinces to check the extent of the damage.
But Sta. Catalina assured they have enough buffer stocks as well as enough seeds for distribution to affected farmers.
The regional director emphasized they have to revalidate affected farmers as the agency could only assist those who have suffered major damages in their farms.
Under their regular agriculture programs, she said, they are open to receiving proposals from farmer’s organizations for evaluation before they can give out assistance to affected farmers.
Among funding they can provide include repairs of warehouses, rebuilding of community seed banks and rehabilitation projects stressing these will still be evaluated by their technical teams that are now on field to confirm and assess the extent of devastation wrought by Typhoon Labuyo.
The Cordillera region, particularly Benguet, has been a steady source of highland vegetables in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Metro Manila.