YEARENDER: Typhoons dent agri production in 2012

MANILA, Philippines - The massive devastation caused by Typhoon Pablo to plantations in several provinces in Mindanao is expected to put a dent on the government’s target farm output growth of four to five percent for 2012 although positive growth can still be expected for the year.

In the first nine months of the year, farm output grew at a slower pace of 1.93 percent from a growth rate of 4.74 percent in the comparable period last year because of continued slowdown in fish production.

The agriculture sector grew 2.34 percent in 2011, much lower than the revised three to 3.5 percent projected by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).

As of the latest assessment conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA), damage inflicted by the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year was placed at P29.12 billion with the banana industry sustaining the bulk of the production damage valued at P22.3 billion. The extent of damage to banana crops prompted the postponement of the maiden shipment of Cavendish

bananas to the United States to fulfill pending export obligations to other major markets like Japan and Korea.

Production loss to palay was placed at 19, 658 metric tons (MT) valued at P476.21 million. Despite the damage, the DA still expects production to hit the target of 18.4 million MT for the year because most of the areas hit by the typhoon were already able to harvest. Most of the standing palay is also in the vegetative stage that may still recover.

Because of the third cropping scheme that was carried out in September, farmers were able to recover production losses caused by Typhoons Ferdie, Gener and the southwest monsoon that dumped torrential rains over rice producing regions in July and August.

The DA and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) are already conducting immediate interventions to make sure irrigation in affected provinces is sustained as preliminary repairs to damaged irrigation facilities are being done to prevent the disruption of the cropping calendar of farmers. Full repairs of facilities are expected to begin in January. The cost of damage to irrigation facilities has risen to P1.18 billion.

Production loses to palay caused by the typhoon would account for only a 0.47 percent reduction to the production forecast of 4.2 million MT made by the BAS for the first quarter of 2013. This would keep the targeted rice sufficiency goal of 100 percent for 2013 and the exportation of premium rice varieties on track.

The country is currently 97 to 98 percent self-sufficient in palay.

Palay production sustained positive production growth throughout the year because of the early cropping and third cropping schemes conducted to boost production.

In the first nine months of the year, palay production grew by 6.91 percent to 11.5 million MT valued at P9.9 billion from the comparable production of 10.7 million MT valued at P9.3 billion in the comparable period last year.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala assured that with the good results produced by this cropping scheme, the department would gradually increase the volume of palay produced during the dry season to 60 percent of the production target while the remaining 40 percent of the annual palay requirement would be produced during the wet season and the third cropping period.

This would be complemented by increased farm mechanization and addition of postharvest facilities.

In 2013, the department would encouraging farmers to produce at least 55 percent of the production target of around 20 million MT during the dry season.

Production losses to corn caused by the typhoon was placed at P112,859 MT valued at P1.64 billion. This was expected to cause a 5.6 percent reduction in the BAS production forecast of two million MT for the first quarter of 2013.

As far as reaching the production target for this year, Alcala said the projected output of 7.8 million MT is still likely to be attained this year.

At present, corn production “matches” the feed requirment of the livestock sector. Because of higher prices in the international market,livestock raisers are compelled to source their corn needs from local farmers.

Alcala said that if domestic buying prices fall lower than the current level, the exportation of corn may be allowed to allow farmers to earn more. corn farmers currently enjoy good buying prices at P14 per kilogram against P18 per kilogram in the world market.