AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE due to Severe Tropical Storm Trami, locally known as Kristine, has amounted to P3.11 billion, according to preliminary reports from the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In a bulletin released on Sunday, the DA said that the storm had affected 74,554 farmers spanning 72,329 hectares of farmland. Total volume loss was reckoned at 160,107 metric tons (MT).
The agency said that most of the crop losses due to the severe tropical storm were from rice making up 92.5%, followed by high-value crops at 3.9%.
The total value of rice lost was estimated at P2.87 billion, with a volume of about 152,440 MT. Damage had spanned 69,976 hectares of farmland.
The DA said that most of the damaged rice was in the reproductive and maturing stages.
Last week, the agency said that palay (unmilled rice) production would likely drop by 3.24% to 19.41 million MT in 2024 due to the continued onslaught of tropical cyclones in the country.
Damage to high value crops was tallied at P121.08 million with crop volumes lost at 6,014 MT. Affected farmland was seen spanning 1,519 hectares.
The agency added that damage to agricultural infrastructure had totaled P67.66 million. This includes damage to irrigation facilities and other farm structures.
The DA valued corn losses at P22.27 million, with volume estimated at 1,461 MT, while damage to cassava crops was P6.55 million with volume lost at 126 MT.
It added that losses for the fisheries sector amounted to P11.2 million, followed by the livestock and poultry sector at P3.73 million. — Adrian H. Alternate
