Agriculture dept sets aside
P232.6M for Western Visayas

THE Department of Agriculture has allocated P232.6 million for the rehabilitation of the rice, corn and fisheries sub-sectors in the Western Visayas region that were hit hard by Typhoon “Frank” last month.

Agriculture and fisheries losses in the region exceeded P3.37 billion because of the typhoon, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.

Rice farmers will get P88.55 million, including P58.29 million in fertilizer subsidy, P20.26 million in seed support, and P10.0 million in extension services, Yap said.

The farm aid will cover 14,570 hectares of rice farms that were completely damaged by the typhoon, he said.

For typhoon-affected corn farmers, the agriculture department will spend P35.88 million to cover 5,097 hectares of farm lands, Yap added.

The fisheries sub-sector in the Western Visayas will need P108.18 million to rehabilitate its typhoon-damaged facilities, conduct a fry/fingerling dispersal program for milkfish, tilapia, seaweed and mussel producers, and distribute fishing gears such as traps, fish corrals and gillnets, Yap said.

The amount earmarked for Western Visayas forms part of a nationwide farm relief package worth P834 million, enough to cover the losses in the farm and fisheries sectors, which have exceeded P7 billion.

Of the total package, P475.88 million will go the rice sub-sector, P116 million to corn, P36.137 million to high-value commercial crops, P52.835 million to poultry and livestock, and P151.670 million to fisheries.

Under the rehabilitation program, the agriculture department will use the budget for high-value commercial crops to provide seeds and other inputs, facilitate market linkages, and intensify technology transfer for the off-season production efforts of banana, mango and vegetable growers. (Inquirer.net/PN)