Damage to agriculture due to the El Niño phenomenon has increased to P6.3 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported yesterday.

DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said Mimaropa remains the most affected region, with damage placed at P1.7 billion followed by Western Visayas, with P1.5 billion, and Cordillera Administrative Region, P800 million.

Rice was the most affected crop, with losses totaling P3.3 billion; corn, P1.9 billion, and high-value crops, P1 billion.

De Mesa said 129,000 hectares of agricultural land were affected by drought.

He said the recorded losses were still below the estimates at the onset of El Niño.

De Mesa said palay production losses in the first quarter of the year were at around 100,000 metric tons compared to the estimate of 134,000 MT.

'Naging epektibo ang paghahanda ng kagawaran katuwang ang ibang sektor, lalo na ang lokal na pamahalaan at National Irrigation Administration,' he said during a news forum.

De Mesa said below normal rainfall resulted in fewer destructive cyclones since the last quarter of 2023.

Task Force El Niño spokesman Secretary Joey Villarama had said the number of cities and municipalities placed under a state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño has continued to increase.

As of Friday, 276 cities and municipalities are under a state of calamity.

Villarama said many of the provinces under a state of calamity are in Mindanao, including South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

He said fewer areas are expected to report losses as El Niño continues to weaken.

The DA had earlier said it is preparing for a 'more destructive' La Niña.

The state weather bureau said La Niña has a 60 percent chance of developing from June to August.

Despite the weakening of El Niño, Villarama said the public would continue to experience extreme heat and drought in the coming weeks.

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