By Lilybeth Ison/PNA
MANILA — Damages and losses brought about by Tropical Depression Usman increased to PHP816.17 million, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Department of Agriculture Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operation Center at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The estimated volume of production loss was 18,634 metric tons (MT) and damaged agricultural areas was 40,075 hectares affecting 36,902 farmers and fisherfolk in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar and Samar.
The DA explained that the PHP431.21 million damage losses reported earlier “does not include the report from Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) due to lack of details on the value of production loss with only the area affected being reported.”
The increase in value now includes PHP124.90 million worth of rice, vegetables and livestock with 5,385 hectares of damaged agricultural areas affecting 5,921 farmers in Eastern Visayas alone, the DA noted.
For palay, around PHP732.48 million were recorded damaged with 15,633 MT volume production loss.
Some 33,783 hectares were destroyed, affecting 30,422 farmers in the provinces of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and Samar.
There was also an increase recorded for corn crops valued at PHP27.59 million with volume production loss at 286 MT.
Affected areas were 5,737 hectares with 4,576 farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
For high value crops, around PHP41.6 million worth of fruit trees, assorted vegetables, and root crops were damaged with 2,715 MT volume production loss.
Around 555 hectares and 1,770 farmers were affected in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Samar provinces.
On the other hand, some PHP13.12 million worth of carabao, cattle, chicken, duck, goat horse and swine with 44 livestock farmers were affected in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Northern Samar.
For fisheries, some PHP871,050 worth of tilapia, crab, shrimp, bangus, sugpo, and fish corals were lost affecting 90 fisherfolk in Camarines Norte and Sorsogon.
The DA also reported initial damage to agriculture facilities particularly in small-scale irrigation worth PHP500,000 in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Sorsogon.