BASEY, Samar-Farmers severely hit by supertyphoon Yolanda are now counting on so-called loan sharks just to continue their farming.
In this town alone, several farmers have secured loans to private individuals with exorbitant payment for them to buy farm implements and palay seedlings.
Sabino Villanueva, 62 years old and a farmer from Barangay San Antonio, this town said that he and the rest of the farmers have no choice during this time of difficulties but to seek loans from these private individuals.
Villanueva, who lost four members of his family, said that planting rice at this time is “very costly.”
“We really need financial assistance from our national government this time,” he said.
The agriculture sector suffered extensive losses due to Yolanda with damages to it reached to more than P18 billion.
Studies showed that farmers mostly concerned about rising prices of fertilizer and pesticide, lower crop prices, rising fuel prices and higher debt.
The Department of Agriculture in the region has been distributing palay seedlings to affected farmers.
This town, more than 2,000 farmers were given palay seedlings with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Basey sustained severe damage to its agriculture sector among the towns of Samar, with damage to it reached to P16.8 million covering 2,971 hectares.
By: JAZMIN BONIFACIO
