El Niño agri damage in 8 regions hits P1.75 B

The amount of damage to agriculture in eight regions has reached P1.75 billion as the El Nino phenomenon intensifies, according to the Department of Agriculture.

- BELLA CARIASO

DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the damage covered 32,231 hectares of farmlands, with at least 29,437 farmers displaced.

The eight regions are Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos).

“Most affected was Mimaropa, which incurred P770 million damage to agriculture, followed by Western Visayas with P560 million; Cagayan Valley, P180 million; Central Luzon, P158 million; Ilocos, P54 million; Zamboanga peninsula, 13 million; Calabarzon, P7 million, and Soccsksargen, P2 million,” De Mesa said.