ILOILO – Typhoon “Quinta” left the province with P37.6 million in damage to palay production, according to the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
Elias Sandig, assistant provincial agriculturist, said 21 municipalities have submitted their partial reports on the damage to palay as a result of the flooding of rice paddies.
The reports were from the municipal agriculture officers of Cabatuan, Dueñas, Tigbauan, San Enrique, Dingle, Santa Barbara, Janiuay, Carles, Bingawan, Dumangas, Pototan, Tubungan, Leon, Balasan, Mina, San Rafael, Anialo, Passi City, Badiangan, Igbaras and Sara.
“May 21 kita ka mga banwa nga affected sang typhoon ‘Quinta’ pero gamay lang man ang areas nga totally damaged kay mostly partial lang ang nahalitan,” Sandig told Panay News.
The flooding of rice paddies damaged crops, Sandig said.
“May posibilidad nga magsaka pa ang number of towns nga mag-submit sang report. May iban pa nga gina-finalize ang ila damage reports,” he added.
Typhoon “Quinta” hit the province last week, which also resulted in the evacuation of 38 families in flood-prone areas.
Meanwhile, PAO said there were no reported damages or losses in agriculture, fishery and infrastructure due to typhoon “Rolly,” which at one point was one of the most powerful storms ever recorded.
According to Sandig, they remain hopeful that local farmers would be able to harvest one million metric tons of rice by the end of the year.
From January to Oct. 15 this year, farmers were able to harvest 749,667 metric tons of palay or paddy rice, data from the PAO showed./PN