 | Damage to agriculture due to ‘Odette’ rises to P12.7 billion |
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Business Mirror: JANUARY 12, 2022
Typhoon Odette’s damage to the Philippine agriculture sector has climbed to nearly P13 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.
In its latest report, the DA said the typhoon affected 396,585 farmers and fishers and destroyed P12.7 billion worth of agricultural products.
The estimated damage from Odette rose due to the increase in the losses incurred by the fisheries sector as well as the losses reported by abaca farmers.
The DA said the typhoon damaged 267,809 metric tons (MT) of agricultural produce and struck 443,419 hectares of farms.
Agricultural losses were reported in the following regions: Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
“Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, coconut, sugarcane, abaca, livestock, and fisheries. Damage has also been incurred in agricultural infrastructures, machineries and equipment,” the DA said. “These values are subject to validation.”
The DA’s latest damage report indicated that the fisheries sector incurred the biggest loss at P4 billion, or about 31 percent of total agricultural losses. The agency said 41,181 fishers were affected by Odette which damaged their fishery products, fishing boats and gear.
The damage to the rice sector remained at P2.6 billion, with an estimated production loss of 139,399 MT. Odette struck 114,777 hectares of rice farms, according to the DA.
Losses incurred by the high value crops (HVC) sector rose to P1.6 billion. The typhoon affected 6,316 hectares of farms planted with vegetables, fruit trees, root crops, cacao, coffee, banana and rubber.
The DA said the estimated value of coconut and sugarcane crops destroyed by the typhoon remained at P1.5 billion and P1.2 billion, respectively.
Figures from the agency indicate that the typhoon also hit 14,794 hectares of farms planted with abaca and destroyed some P310.3 million worth of crops.
Meanwhile, the livestock and poultry sector lost some P535.4 million as the typhoon struck 1.637 million heads of chicken, swine, cattle, carabao, goat, duck, sheep, horse, turkey, quail, and guinea fowl.
As for the corn sector, the DA said farmers incurred losses amounting to P644.1 million as Odette damaged 33,945 MT of crops planted in 16,132 hectares.
The typhoon, which flattened houses in the Visayas, also destroyed irrigation and agri-facilities valued at P479.3 million and farm machinery and equipment worth P13.1 million.
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