Ursula’s damage to agri sector pegged at P571.58M — DA

The damage brought by Typhoon Ursula to the agriculture sector has reached more than P500 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In its typhoon monitoring bulletin, the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center said total damage reached P571.58 million, including affected 43,442 farmers and fisherfolk and 4,644 hectares of rice, corn and cassava.

Fisheries, meanwhile, accounted for the lion's share of damage at P569 million or 99.5% of the total.

"Specifically, damages and losses in fisheries include fishponds with tilapia, fishcages, fishpens, seaweeds, payao, motorized and non-motorized bancas, rafts and boundary markers," the DA said.

The losses to the agriculture sector have been reported by the DA's regional field offices in MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), and Western, Central and Eastern Visayas.

"Furthermore, crops reportedly affected in Western Visayas include 55,863 hectares of rice and 2,072 hectares of coconut," the DA said.

"Similar case goes for 221 hectares of high value crops and 54 hectares of corn in Central Visayas. Their corresponding costs are still being quantified," it said.

An initial assessment conducted in Eastern Visayas found that there are no substantial damage in rice.

"Most of the rice areas are under land preparation, seedbed, and newly planted stages," the DA said.

"However, banana is the most affected crop. Minor damages in DA facilities and irrigation canals in the region have been reported," it added.

The Agriculture department said teams from the affected regions have been deployed to conduct Damage and Loss Assessment (DALA), Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA), and field validation to the affected areas.

"The DA-DRRM Operations Center will continuously issue updates regarding Typhoon Ursula," it said.  — RSJ, GMA News