Typhoon Tino misses rice harvest but batters corn fields

National

A GRAIN of relief for Filipino consumers.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said Typhoon Tino will not dent the nation’s rice supply, though corn production may take a heavy blow.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said most rice harvests in key producing provinces were already completed before the typhoon struck, noting that the affected regions are not among the country’s main rice producers.

“We’re not too worried about rice since the harvest is almost complete in major producing provinces and most of the affected regions are not major producing areas,” he said in a report by the Inquirer.

He added that while the rice sector remains stable, corn farmers could face significant losses, with about 33,000 hectares of cornfields affected by Tino. He assured that the National Food Authority (NFA) has enough rice reserves to meet national demand but said the agency will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that as of Oct. 1, the country’s rice inventory reached 2.35 million metric tons (MT), 3.2 percent higher than a year earlier.

The commercial sector accounted for 40.5 percent of total stocks. Corn inventories, meanwhile, stood at 846,810 MT, up 16.3 percent from the previous year, with the commercial sector holding 78.1 percent.

The DA has yet to release an official estimate of agricultural damage but said that losses are expected in areas hit by the storm as assessment and validation continue.

Anticipating further impact from another possible typhoon forecast to approach Northern Luzon over the weekend, Tiu Laurel has directed regional field offices to conduct rapid damage assessments and intensify relief operations.

The department has prepared ₱255 million worth of farm inputs and assistance for affected farmers and fishers, including rice, corn and vegetable seeds, fingerlings, and biologics. It will also help repair fishing boats and provide fuel aid to affected coastal communities.

To speed up recovery, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. will expedite the processing of claims from affected farmers, while the Agricultural Credit Policy Council will offer up to ₱25,000 in loans per borrower through its Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program.

The NFA has also readied 2.6 million bags of rice for local governments and relief agencies and will continue to sell rice at ₱20 per kilogram through Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets.(MyTVCebu)