The damage to agriculture due to the southwest monsoon in different parts of the country has reached P27.28 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Tuesday.

Based on the data from the DA, the monsoon rain has affected 1,490 farmers, 928 metric tonnes of agricultural products and devastated a total of 1,303 hectares of agricultural areas.

The southwest monsoon began May 19 and is forecast to end in October, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). Its peak is expected between June to August.

The southwest monsoon that brought strong rains, flash floods, and mudslides in Banaue on July 7 has destroyed 120 hectares of rice fields (239 MT), three hectares of corn areas, and 78 hectares of high value crops (489 MT) in the area.

The DA also noted that a total of 83 heads of swine were also counted as mortality due to the mudslide as of July 11, the weather disturbance affected 700 farmers and damaged a total of P16.4 million worth of agricultural products in the province.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall and flash floods were also experienced at the President Quirino in Sultan Kudarat last week, from July 4 to 7.

The DA said a total of 148 hectares of rice-producing areas were partially destroyed because of the southwest monsoon, resulting in a production loss of 199.8 metric tons (MT).

"Agricultural damage was estimated at about P3.8 million, with all 99 rice farmers in the municipality affected," the DA said. Robina Asido