MANILA – Although Typhoon "Ambo" did not directly hit most of the Bicol provinces as initially forecast, it destroyed crops and livestock initially estimated at PHP79.9 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Saturday.
The DA Bicol said the approximate affected area in the six provinces was 3,885 hectares with production loss totaling 4,564 metric tons (MT).
Corn recorded the highest losses of 3,365 MT from 2,616 hectares damaged farms with production loss pegged at PHP52 million.
On the other hand, rice recorded an initial production loss of 1,149 MT from 1,067 hectares partially damaged rice areas with production loss recorded at PHP17.5 million.
For high-value crops such as fruits and vegetables, some 201 hectares were damaged with a production loss of 48 MT amounting to PHP10.01 million.
Meanwhile, initial damage to livestock was recorded at PHP101,500.
Masbate incurred the biggest losses in agriculture initially totaling PHP36.9 million.
A total of 1,124 hectares of corn areas in Masbate have been damaged with a production loss of 994 metric tons amounting to PHP16.8 million.
Rice farms in Masbate also suffered partial damages as 1,057 hectares were affected with a production loss of 1,141 MT pegged at PHP17.4 million.
Camarines Sur incurred an initial P33.1M loss in corn only in 1,379 hectares of corn areas damaged where the volume of production loss was recorded at 2,225 metric tons.
Albay followed with PHP4.5 million initial total production loss in corn, high-value crops, and livestock.
A total of 144 hectares of corn areas were damaged with a production loss of 144 MT amounting to PHP2.06 million.
For high-value crops, an initial 115 hectares were damaged with a production loss of 31 MT amounting to PHP2.5 million.
Catanduanes reported an initial of 15 hectares of high-value crops damaged with a production loss of 1.94 MT amounting to PHP2.5 million.
In Camarines Norte, some 6.69 hectares of corn areas were damaged with a production loss of 1.03 MT amounting to PHP85,450.
In Sorsogon, some 54 hectares of rice and corn were damaged with production loss totaling PHP2.6 million.
Ambo, the first typhoon to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in 2020, was packed with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of 200 kph as it brought violent winds and heavy rains to the Bicol provinces which were placed under Storm Signal No. 3 on May 14.
Seeds for rice and corn as well as drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry were distributed to and prepositioned in the DA RFO 5 Research Outreach Stations in the six provinces before the onslaught of typhoon Ambo.
The DA Bicol has also prepositioned some 6,618 bags of corn seeds (both white and yellow corn, conventional and GMO varieties); 4,611 bags of hybrid rice seeds and 55,491 bags of inbred rice seeds which are awaiting delivery.
Seeds of vegetables such as okra, hot pepper, eggplant, mungbean, tomato, squash, chili pepper, pole sitao, radish, ampalaya, watermelon, cucumber, pechay, patola, and lettuce are also ready for distribution to affected farmers. (PR)
