Paeng’s damage to W. Visayas agriculture balloons to P1.5 B

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas reported that Tropical Storm Paeng cost the region’s agriculture sector around P1,521,203,987.761 in losses and damages.

Based on a DA-6 report as of 9 a.m. of Nov 6, Paeng damaged 179,209.214 hectares of cropland and aquaculture areas.

The incessant rain and flooding resulted in production loss of 32,934.38 metric tons of crops (rice, corn, and other high-value crops) apart from poultry and livestock production, the fisheries sector, and agricultural infrastructures.

Rice production posted the biggest losses at P694.77 million and aquaculture at P621.90 million.

Capture fisheries posted a P70.93-million loss followed by corn (P42.999 million), livestock and poultry (P23.527 million), high-value crops (P10.518 million), and sugarcane (P4.920 million).

Damage to agricultural infrastructures (irrigation system) is at P50 million, post-harvest at P257,000, and machineries and equipment at P85,000.

The province of Capiz suffered the heaviest damage in agriculture at P745.289 million.

The province, which is tagged as the country’s seafood capital, lost P408 million in aquaculture products, P276 million in rice production, and P32 million in corn.

On the other hand, Iloilo reported losing P328 million in agriculture, followed by Negros Occidental (P227 million), Antique (P199.8 million), Aklan (P16 million), and Guimaras (P4 million).

James Earl Ogatis, DA-6 public information officer, said they’re also looking at around 38,978 farmers and fisherfolk who got affected.

Most of them, or 24,671, are into rice production.

As of Nov 5, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)-Region 6 reported that Paeng affected 388,837 families (1,483,664 persons) in 2,461 barangays in the region.

Iloilo, to include Iloilo City, has the most number of affected families at 121,819 while Capiz recorded 107,285 families.