MANILA – Farm damage from super typhoon “Ompong” (international name “Mangkhut”) has breached P14 billion as of Sept. 17, according to initial estimated by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the agriculture sector suffered P14.27 billion in damaged crops, livestock, and infrastructure.
Some 553,704 hectares of agricultural areas were affected, with a volume of production loss of 731,294 metric tons.
“The increase in the overall damages and losses are attributed to the reports in Regions CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region) and II (Cagayan Valley) particularly in rice, corn, high-value crops, and livestock,” according to Piñol.
Most of the damage or 62.82 percent was reported in the rice sector. Some 435,997 MT of production loss was recorded, equivalent to P8.97 billion, or 8.64 days’ worth of the country’s rice consumption.
“Most of the affected rice crops were reported to be partially damaged and were on reproductive stage affecting a total of 212,491 farmers,” the DA said.
Among the provinces heavily affected were Nueva Ecija in Region III with P2.84 billion in losses, and Cagayan with P2.77 billion.
Losses in corn crops amounted to P4.50 billion. A total of 148,587 hectares with 281,039 metric tons of the commodity were washed out.
“Most of the affected crops were in their reproductive stage, which was reported as partially damaged,” Piñol said.
High-value crops amounting to P788.13 million were damaged in 7,913 hectares in CAR and the provinces of Rizal, Cagayan, and Isabela.
Livestock losses totaled P5.51 million, while the damage to irrigation facilities amounted to P15.72 million – including small-water impounding projects, impounding dams, and spillways in Ilocos Norte. (GMA News)
