Typhoon ‘Luis’, ‘Mario’ farm damage hits P3.11B

Rice farmers in Batangas. Daniel Zuckerkandel / Shutterstock

MANILA – Almost doubling a figure reported three days ago, the assessed farm damage caused by Typhoon “Luis” and Tropical Storm “Mario” recently jumped to a total of P3.11 billion.

The increase from the previously P1.76 billion damage was attributed mainly to field reports showing damage to rice farms.

The Department of Agriculture’s field operations services recently assessed the effects of the destruction and indicated on its latest report that the rice farmers’ losses were jacked up to P2.8 billion, representing 158,723 tons of palay.

According to the same assessment, of the 169,183 hectares of rice farms damaged by the typhoons, a total of 149,557 hectares may be able to recover.

Corn farms were also not spared from the damages after P174.14 million worth of corn, representing almost 13,261 tons of grain, were claimed by the heavy rains.

Of the 23,875 hectares of corn farms affected by the rains, only 87 hectares have a chance of recovery.

A total of P81.4 million, 3,587 tons worth were also lost of high-value crops such as fruits and vegetables.

Meanwhile, for the fisheries subsector, the assessment was further heightened to P16.13 million, so with livestock raised to P7.97 million.