By Alec Go
The damages to agriculture brought about by Super Typhoon “Egay” has so far been estimated at P53.1 million, based on the initial report of the Department of Agriculture-DRRM Operations Center (DA-DRRMOC) on Thursday afternoon, July 27.
This covers 3,185 hectares of affected agricultural areas and at least 2,303 farmers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Caraga.
Volume of production loss is currently estimated at 1,871 metric tons of rice, corn, livestock and poultry.
The DA-DRRMOC said damage assessment is ongoing.
Among the assistance available for intervention are rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; and fingerlings for affected fisherfolks.
Affected agricultural workers can also avail of up to P25,000 Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council which can be paid in three years without any interest.
“Egay” continues to move further away from the Philippine area of responsibility as of 5:00 p.m.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is currently hoisted over Batanes, northern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa Marcela), Ilocos Norte, and the northwestern portion of Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros) including Babuyan Islands. – gb
