DA-XI pegs the damage of the long dry spell at P55.9 Million

DAVAO CITY, April 27 (PIA) The Department of Agriculture reported a total cost at P55.9-Million worth of damage brought about by the long-dry spell as of April 21, 2015.

Herna Palma, focal point person of the DA in Davao Region told reporters that extended dry spell impacts on the rice and corn.

She said the total damage in Davao City is P5.5 Million, Davao del Sur at P1.5 Million, Compostela Valley P4.2 Million, and Davao del Norte at P44.4 Million.

 Palma said no report of damage emanates from Davao Oriental which experiences a relatively normal weather condition.
“Some rain-feed areas even experience flooding due to heavy downpour,” she said.

Palma said the DA 11 no longer encourages conducting clouding seeding operation in most affected areas since it is more practical to give corn seeds as buffer stocks to the affected areas where corn plants had been dried up due to the absence of moisture.

 She said the DA has allocated a total of P22.2 Million for their banner programs like corn, rice, high value crops and development program and livestock.

Palma said with this allocated, their agency is able to give out 6,923 bags of corn seeds, 4,200 bags of certified seeds, 1,130 bags of registered rice seeds, 125 units of irrigation pumps and five units of irrigation pumps.

She said for high value crops 575 drums have been deployed to the affected areas, and 66 bags of mungbean, one unit spring development, one unit farm reservoir and alternate stape crops and planting materials.

 Palma said that on the affected livestock drugs and biologics were also given to the affected areas. 

 Mayor Rodrigo Duterte assured the readiness of the city government to help farmers whose farms will be affected by the dry spell.

Speaking in the public affairs program, “Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa,” he said that it will only take a declaration of a state of natural calamity in order for the funds to be released to the affected sector.

Duterte said the financial assistance is the immediate aid of the city once the farmers go hungry, especially if nothing grows anymore because of the drought.

 He projected that with the extended dry-spell even importing rice from Thailand, Vietnam and Lao might be affected since this country is also experiencing the impact of the drought.

Duterte said the city is still lucky to have heavy downpours every now and then.

“I hope the calamity fund would last because a long dry-spell will really result in the scarcity in food which will lead to hunger and chaos. 

Water and food are very important.

Without these basic needs, there will be chaos,” Duterte said.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)