The Department of Agriculture- Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center on Thursday prepositioned PHP80.21 million worth of agricultural aid to farmers in areas affected during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami). The amount aims to cover the distribution of agricultural inputs including seedlings of rice, corn, high-value crops, drugs, and biologics. Besides this, farmers can also avail of the PHP25,000 loanable amount payable for three years with zero interest, as well as the indemnification for insured farmers through the Philippine Crop Insurance Industry (PCIC). In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said partial reports of agricultural damage are being validated to ensure the mobilization of aid for immediate recovery. 'For now, we have to wait for the actual report to ascertain the damage and the interventions that we need to do to help our farmers and fisherfolk recover quickly from this calamity,' he said. As of Th ursday, the DA-DRRM said at least 2,864 farmers were affected in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas. Agricultural damage also rose to PHP80.80 million from almost PHP10 million on Wednesday. Majority of the damage was recorded in the rice sector, amounting to PHP79.34 million in Kalinga, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Negros Occidental. Damage in corn production followed at PHP1.34 million in Camarines Sur, Marinduque, and Masbate; PHP106,990 in high-value crops in Oriental Mindoro; and PHP11,400 in livestock and poultry in Marinduque. Source: Philippines News agency