AGRICULTURAL LOSSES caused by severe tropical storm Maring (international name: Kompasu) increased to P2.14 billion from the prior estimate of P1.87 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The DA said in a bulletin early Monday that Maring affected 76,442 farmers and fisherfolk and 85,744 hectares of agricultural land in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, the Western Visayas, and Soccsksargen.
Maring also caused the loss of 101,818 metric tons (MT) worth of output of rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries. Losses and damage were also reported by irrigation and agricultural facilities.
Rice losses were valued at P1.5 billion across 74,460 hectares of farmland. The lost volume estimate was 83,719 MT.
Damage to high-value crops was P199.4 million, including 9,200 MT of assorted vegetables and fruit trees. Some 2,689 hectares of agricultural land were affected.
Corn losses totaled P148.2 million, or 8,899 MT in volume terms across 8,595 hectares of farmland.
Fisheries damage amounted to P110.1 million while livestock and poultry losses were estimated at P84.8 million.
Damage to irrigation and agricultural facilities totaled P140.6 million, including diversion dams, small water irrigation projects, communal irrigation systems, check dams, nurseries, demo farms, and farm to market roads. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
