‘Hanna’ leaves P11.3-M damage to rice farms in NegOcc

DAMAGED RICE FARMS. Flooded rice farms in southern Negros. Heavy rains and flooding caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storms Falcon and Hanna have damaged a number of rice farms in southern Negros in recent weeks. (PNA Bacolod file photo)

BACOLOD CITY — Rice farmers in 18 villages of Bago City, Negros Occidental incurred a total of PHP11.28 million in crop damage due to Tropical Storm Hanna, a report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) released on Friday showed.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said the farms affected by the southwest monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by the typhoon included those in maturing and reproductive stages, and a small portion in seedling and vegetative stages.

As of August 9, damage was reported in the area of about 9,058 hectares of Bago City, known as the rice granary of Negros Occidental for producing about 25 percent of the local production output.

In the past months, farmers in Negros Occidental also reported almost PHP19 million in damage and crop production losses due to heavy rains and flooding caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Falcon.

A final report of OPA showed 1,636 rice and corn farmers were affected in 61 barangays of seven localities, with total planted areas of 2,580 hectares.

The rice sector recorded the highest amount of losses at PHP17.7 million.

The corn sector reported losses worth almost PHP1.3 million, affecting 52 farmers in 50.

70 hectares of plantation in two barangays of San Carlos City.

Under the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program, in partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., farmers may avail of the PHP17,000 claim per hectare of damaged farms.

The enrollment premium per cropping season is pegged at PHP840, and the whole amount is shouldered by the provincial government as a loan.