Farm damage from typhoon Kiko increases to P19.21M
AGRICULTURAL losses brought by typhoon Kiko (international name: Chanthu) went up to P19.21 million versus the P18.20 million previously estimated, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
The DA said in its latest bulletin dated Sept. 16 afternoon that the typhoon affected 954 farmers and fishers together with 1,060 hectares of farm areas across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.
However, the DA noted that there is a reduction in the total affected farm area, which was previously estimated at 1,172 hectares, as a result of validation done in Central Luzon.
The onslaught of Kiko also resulted in 723 metric tons (MT) of lost production volume.
“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, and fisheries. These values are still subject to validation,” the DA said in the bulletin.
Losses to rice were valued at P9.85 million. A total of 498 MT of production volume were lost while 901 hectares of agricultural areas were affected.
Damage to fisheries amounted to P4.02 million. Recorded losses were fisheries produce and fishing boats and gears.
For high-value crops, losses reached P3.63 million. Around eight hectares of agricultural areas were affected while 58 MT of production volume were lost.
Corn damage reached P1.71 million. A total of 167 MT of production volume were lost while 152 hectares of farm areas were affected.
“The DA, through its regional field offices, is conducting further validation of damage and losses brought by Typhoon Kiko in the agri-fisheries sector,” the bulletin said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
