DA: Typhoons left P786-M damage to agriculture

The combined damage of Tropical Cyclones Pepito, Nika and Ofel to the agriculture sector in at least six regions has reached P786 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported.

- RHODINA VILLANUEVA

According to the DA, the typhoons left 41,076 hectares of agricultural areas damaged and production losses of 30,366 metric tons (MT).

It said the typhoons affected 34,111 farmers and fisherfolk in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

The DA said 53 percent of the damage was recorded in rice production, totaling P414.14 million and affecting 32,289 hectares of land, with a total production loss of 19,130 MT.

Based on the data provided by the DA Operations Center, the damage from tropical cyclones Kristine and Leon to the agriculture sector totaled P9.81 billion, covering 183,877 hectares of land and production loss of 380,704 MT.