Agri-fishery sectors lose P42M to flashfloods

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The agriculture and fishery sectors lost over P42 million to flashfloods that hit the northern part of Negros Occidental in the first two weeks of 2021.

The Jan 8 flood damaged P21.5 million worth of agri-fishery products, higher than the P16.5-million damage caused by the Jan 1 flash floods, according to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

The flood affected 973 farmers covering production areas of 679.64 hectares in 54 barangays of the province.

The recent flood from Jan 8 to 12 heavily affected the rice sector which incurred losses at about P15.78 million, particularly in six local government units (LGUs).

In Valladolid town, 141 farmers in 11 villages suffered losses of about P7.50 million, covering a total area of 251.5 hectares.

Silay City suffered P3.75 million in damages that affected 384 farmers. It also affected 156.11 hectares of farms in five barangays.

Sagay City incurred P2.17 million worth of damage and losses, covering 262 rice farmers with a total area of 186.53 hectares in 13 barangays.

Other affected LGUs were Cadiz City with almost P1.43 million losses, affecting 79 farmers covering 62.54 hectares; Manapla – P191,310, affecting 24 farmers with 12.18 hectares; and Talisay City – P72,662, affecting 22 rice farmers with 6.93 hectares of their farm areas.

Almost P5.78 million worth of high value crops (HVC) were damaged, affecting 45 farmers with a combined area of 3.85 hectares of farms in four barangays of Talisay City and Silay City.

The province’s fishery sector also incurred damage and losses amounting to P591,980 in the cities of Sagay, Cadiz, Talisay, San Carlos, and the town of E.B. Magalona.

Sagay City posted the biggest loss at P250,000, followed by Cadiz City (P89,000), Talisay City (P28,780), E.B. Magalona (P17,200), and San Carlos City (P15,000).

Meanwhile, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported that the livestock and poultry sector lost P1.04 million to the Jan 8 flooding.

It affected animal raisers in 36 barangays in the cities of Sagay, Talisay, Silay, Victorias, Bago and La Carlota, and towns of E.B. Magalona, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, San Enrique and Valladolid.