BACOLOD CITY -- Crop production losses brought by Tropical Storm “Basyang” to six localities in Negros Occidental reached PHP8.417 million, figures released by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) on Thursday showed.
On February 13, tropical cyclone warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted in Negros Occidental due to Basyang.
Based on the progress report covering the period February 13 to 21, worst-hit was Bago City, the rice bowl of the province, with losses in rice crops pegged at PHP4.254 million.
The southern Negros city suffered losses in 19 villages in 411.4 hectares planted by 338 farmers.
San Carlos City reported PHP1.89 million in losses among 175 rice farmers in five barangays as well as PHP401,250 in losses to high-value commercial crops (HVCCs) city-wide.
Also for rice, La Carlota City posted PHP859,432 in losses; Moises Padilla, PHP779,935; Cadiz City, PHP174,032; and E.B. Magalona, PHP65,925.
Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said field assessments are ongoing in affected areas.
Farmers enrolled under the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance could file for indemnity claims.
In January, two cities in northern Negros Occidental suffered the highest crop damage and production losses due to floods brought by monsoon rains.
Damage reached PHP5.05 million to rice and HVCC farms in the cities of Cadiz and Victorias during the period January 12 to 16.
In Victorias, where 17 of its 26 villages were flooded on January 12, rice farmers had an estimated PHP2.28 million in losses.
Affected were 312 rice farmers in six barangays, covering 158.32 hectares of rice fields.
In Cadiz, almost PHP1.43 million in damage and production losses were reported by 86 rice farmers from six barangays, affecting about 75.20 hectares of rice farms.
Thirty-eight farmers planting HVCCs in 8.235 hectares had close to PHP1.35 million in damage. (PNA)
