Agriculture damage from Urduja hits P702 M

MANILA, Philippines — The cost of damage to agriculture in areas affected by tropical depression Urduja has reached P700 million with the crops sector sustaining the most damage, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

An updated report from the DA showed that agricultural damages have amounted to P701.61 million covering 36,896 hectares of agricultural areas in the Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas, and Caraga with estimated volume of production loss at 17,334 metric tons (MT).

“Significant increase in damages and losses have been reported in rice and high value crops. Most affected rice plantings are in sowing, seedling, newly transplanted and vegetative stages,” said Christopher Morales, DA-Field Programs Operational Planning Division chief.

Rice contributed the largest share of losses at 58 percent or P408 million covering 33,294 hectares equivalent to 11.4 percent of the total standing crop of 291,746 hectares.

There were also significant losses in the high value crops particularly vegetables in Eastern Visayas. Current damage is about P280 million or 40 percent of the  total production losses.

“Most of these are on their fruit-bearing to harvestable stage. The affected 1,560 mango trees are in their flowering stage while most bananas and sweet potatoes are on their reproductive to maturity stage,” Morales said.

Corn also accounted for 1.4 percent of losses at P7.82 million affecting 2,110 hectares, majority of which are in its seedling to vegetative stage. As for cassava, 17 hectares were affected amounting to about P2.03 million.

In terms of livestock, damages are estimated at P3.3 million which includes 2,534 poultry heads, 307 goats, 350 swines and some carabaos and cattle.