Agri damage from Enteng tops P360M
AGRICULTURAL damage caused by Severe Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi) was estimated at P360.18 million, by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In a bulletin, the DA said that according to initial estimates, the storm affected 14,605 farmers and fisherfolk.
Volume loss were reckoned at 15,205 metric tons (MT) across 9,245 hectares of farmland.
The rice crop sustained 94.4% of the total. Lost volume was estimated at 14,177 MT valued at P340.06 million, with the damage spanning 10,442 hectares.
“Most of the damage and losses was to rice in the reproductive and maturity stages,” the DA said.
Volume losses for corn amounted to 739 MT, valued at P14.01 million, affecting 361 hectares.
Damage to high-value crops totaled 200 MT, valued at P4.33 million. Cassava losses were 89 MT valued at P1.77 million.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel V. de Mesa said the single province sustaining the most damage was Camarines Sur with P342 million, followed by Catanduanes, Albay, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, and Bulacan, Mr. De Mesa told reporters, citing provinces that have filed damage reports.
The DA is set to deploy P202.86 million worth of assistance in the form of seed, bio-control measures, and farm tools.
Funding from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. are also available for affected farmers and fisherfolk.
The government weather service, known as PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), reported that Enteng left the Philippine Area of Responsibly on Wednesday. — Adrian H. Halili