CAPIZ – Rice farmers have the biggest losses in the agriculture sector because of the damage brought by the Tropical Depression ‘Agaton’ in the province last week.
According to Provincial Agriculturist Sylvia Dela Cruz, massive flooding due to heavy rain brought by the typhoon left a total of P355 million worth of damage to the rice farmers.
Dela Cruz, in an interview over Bombo Radyo-Roxas, said a total of 8,481.18 hectares of rice land were damaged from the various towns in the provinces affecting 8,776 rice farmers.
Meanwhile, around 2,047 corn farmers in the province also incurred damage worth P60,775,977.96 with 1,808.66 hectares of corn farms damaged.
As to high-value commercial crops, a total of 3,301 farmers were affected with a total of 898.41 hectares damaged worth P66,410,528.
On the other hand, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) listed 1,228 fisherfolks that were affected with estimated losses amounting to P57,542.75.
The whole province was placed in a state of calamity and according to Dela Cruz, they are now expediting the guidelines for the loan program which may be availed by the affected farmers with zero interest for three years.
The local government units are also listing down the affected farmers qualified to avail the loan program./PN
