Naga City (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office in Bicol on Friday, April 14, reported a total of P48,297,614 losses in agriculture sector due to the impact of Tropical Depresion Amang in the region. “Amang” poured an excessive amount of rainfall from April 11 to 13, which caused widespread flodding in most part of the province.
According to DA Bicol Public Information Officer Lovella Guarin, 1,579 farmers from the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay and Sorsogon were affected, and 22 fisher folks. The fisheries sector also suffered P228,000 damages.
Guarin noted that 1,017 hectares of rice farmland from Camarines Sur which werre affected by flooding is equivalent to a loss in rice production cost of P8,067,944.
Meanwhile, about 173 corn growers incurred 232 hectares corn areas; with P15.2 M losses.
“Mas malaking damage sa corn even though 232 hectares lang dahil compared sa rice, mas malaki ang per hectare na production cost ng mais kaya mas tumaas ang pagcompute ng production loss,” Guarin explained.
A sum of P20.5M damage in agricultural infrastructure was also noted due to the typhoon in affected provinces.
At least one livestock raiser in Sorsogon province was reported affected by the typhoon.
To help the agricultural sector recover from its losses, Guarin said that the department will provide 10 days of validation to seek more areas hit by the typhoon since these initial reports will have to undergo quality verification for proper funding in the future.
Guarin also encouraged affected farmers to report to their local agricultural office any damages or losses in their production and farmland due to the typhoon. She also asked farmers in the region to register in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) so that they will properly identified for future assistance. (With reports from Chelsea Nopia, Camaligan National High School-PIA5/Camarines Sur)
