By Erwin Nicavera/Philippine News Agency
BACOLOD CITY — Losses incurred by rice farmers and animal raisers in Negros Occidental have reached PHP15.4 million due to torrential rains and floods brought about by Tropical Storm Falcon last week.
As of Tuesday, figures from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed that 1,401 farmers in six southern Negros localities reported PHP14.6 million in damage and losses.
Affected were 1,542 hectares of farmlands in 54 barangays.
Valladolid recorded the largest amount of losses at almost PHP3.8 million, affecting 305 farmers in 452.6 hectares of 13 barangays.
In neighboring San Enrique, 217 farmers incurred PHP3.2 million in production losses in 348.91 hectares situated in seven villages.
A total of 413 farmers in Bago City reported figures of almost PHP3 million, affecting 416.14 hectares in 19 barangays.
In Hinigaran town, rice farmers posted PHP2.9 million in damage and losses; Ilog, almost PHP1.1 million; and Moises Padilla, PHP629,336. In the three areas, 324 hectares of affected rice fields were reported by 466 farmers in 17 barangays.
Farmers enrolled under the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP) may avail themselves of the PHP17,000 claim per hectare of damaged farms.
The NFUCIP, an initiative of the provincial government, in partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), sets an enrolment premium of PHP840 per cropping season. The amount is paid by the provincial government as a loan.
Meanwhile, animal raisers reported losses totalling PHP846,818 from July 15 to 18, figures provided by the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) showed.
Affected were the livestock and poultry sector in 27 barangays in eight localities, including the cities of Bago, La Carlota and Kabankalan; and the municipalities of Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Isabela, and Ilog.
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