Rice production
SUBSTANTIAL losses in rice production are expected this year due to weather disturbances in various parts of the Philippines.
And compared to last year, the losses will be somewhat “significant” due to fewer typhoons that hit the country in 2023.
Records show that an average of 20 typhoons and storms, some of them destructive, enters the country every year.
These howlers bring with them strong winds and heavy rains, destroying agricultural crops, like palay, corn and vegetables.
Even before the onslaught of severe Tropical Storm “Kristine,” damage to rice already reached more than half-a-million tons.
In fact, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has revised the nation’s palay production for 2024 to just 19.41 metric tons.
The figure reflected a decrease of 3.4 percent from the previous estimate of 20.04 milion MT achieved in 2063, said DA.
Hit hard by Storm Kristine were farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Mimaropa, Bicol and Western Visayas.
Aware of the widsespread devastation, President Marcos conducted last Friday an aerial inspection of areas ravaged by Kristine.
Among the provinces inspected by President Marcos and other top government officials were Laguna, Cavite and Batangas.
We share the view of many that there is a need to take action now owing to the worsening of the problem of climate change.
Let’s do away with our addiction to fossil fuels if we are to address climate change.