Paeng damage, losses to agri climb to P2.74 billion

Damage and losses due to Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) have climbed to over P2 billion as of Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported.

Data released by the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center reported damage of P2.74 billion as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, up from P1.33 billion as of Monday afternoon.

The latest bulletin covered 82,830 hectares of agricultural areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao, and Soccsksargen.

This translated into a production loss volume of 111,831 metric tons of commodities such as rice, corn, and high value crops, impacting some 74,944 farmers and fishers.

Most of the damage was seen in rice, with a volume loss of 95,694 metric tons equivalent to P1.71 billion.

This was followed by high value crops worth P555.4 million, fisheries worth P201.64 million, corn worth P135.4 million, livestock and poultry worth P9.49 million, cassava with P4,220.

Damage to agricultural infrastructures was pegged at P133 million, covering different laboratories and crop protection centers, irrigation systems, water impounding projects, and diversion dams.

Damage to machineries and equipment was estimated at P235,000, including hand tractors and vermi beds.

The DA said assistance is available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers, including rice, corn, and assorted vegetable seeds, and drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.

It said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) also has fingerlings and assistance to be provided to fisherfolk affected.

Those affected can also avail of the P25,000 loan from the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), along with the Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas.

Paeng officially exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday afternoon.—AOL, GMA News