Usman damage nears ₧1B as more rice farms included

DAMAGE to the farm sector caused by Typhoon Usman last week has reached almost P1 billion with an estimated production volume loss of nearly 20,000 metric tons (MT), according to the latest assessment of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

A report released by the DA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center on Sunday afternoon showed that Usman has affected 42,863 farmers planting in 47,529 hectares of agricultural land in four regions.

“The increase in the overall values is attributed to reports on rice in Quezon. The affected regions

are now conducting their field validation,” it said in the report, which was updated as of 9 a.m. of January 6.

Losses in the rice sector, which suffered the brunt of the typhoon damage, reached P840.40 million with an estimated volume of 15,883 MT in 41,143 hectares of farm.

About 35,385 rice farmers in The number of rice farmers affected in the provinces of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar the provinces of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar were affected.

Damage to high-value crops was valued at P56.99 million with an estimated production loss of about 3,216 MT in 649 hectares in Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar. The damage thus far reported included production losses from fruit trees, assorted vegetables and root crops.

Furthermore, some 4,576 corn farmers lost 286 MT of produce planted on 5,737 hectares in Albay, Camarines Sur and Masbate, which was valued at P27.59 million.

The DA has also noted that some 256 livestock raisers in Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar have incurred losses amounting to P16.78 million.

The DA has also recorded P15.37 million worth of seafood production loss in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon. Usman affected around 90 fishermen who produce tilapia, crab, shrimp, bangus, prawns and other aquatic products.

Last, around P500,000 worth of small-scale irrigation projects were damaged in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Sorsogon, according to the DA report.