Crop damage caused by Typhoon Vongfong has reached P1.56 billion, affecting 45,430 farmers and fisherfolk, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday.

In a bulletin, the agency said production losses from the storm, locally named Ambo, had reached 69,935 metric tons (MT), covering 28,476 hectares of agricultural areas across six regions.

Among the affected regions were Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol, Eastern Visayas and the Cordillera Administrative Region, it said.

High-value crops such as bananas, papayas, vegetables and other fruits were the hardest hit, accounting for 73% of total losses worth P1.13 billion.

Also damaged were rice, which accounted for 15% at P238.77 million, followed by corn at 8% (P126.03 million).

Damages in the fishery sector reached P41.06 million, while livestock losses hit P23.44 million. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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