FLOODED. A rice field in Iloilo inundated by Typhoon Quinta. The regional disaster council said Friday (Nov. 6, 2020) damage to agriculture during “Quinta’s” onslaught in Western Visayas has reached PHP226.96 million. (PNA photo by Perla Lena)
ILOILO CITY – Damage to agriculture caused by Typhoon Quinta in Western Visayas has amounted to PHP226.96 million, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) said Friday.
Citing a report from the Department of Agriculture (DA), the RDRRMC said “Quinta” has affected 16,468 farmers and 16,613.94 hectares of farms planted with various crops.
Nearly half, or PHP101.80 million, of the damage was reported by Iloilo province, where the typhoon affected 9,274 farmers and 8,709.35 hectares of rice fields.
Aklan reported the least damage at PHP1.22 million, with 100 farmers and 53.45 hectares of rice fields affected.
Damage in Antique was estimated at PHP45.57 million, with 2,321 farmers and 2,371.92 hectares of rice fields affected.
Capiz reported PHP33.07 million in damage to crops, with 1,868 farmers and 2,521 hectares of rice fields affected.
On the other hand, of the 2,905 farmers and 2,954.72 hectares affected by “Quinta” in Negros Occidental, 39 were engaged in vegetable production, 19 in corn, and the rest in palay.
Total damage in Negros Occidental was valued at PHP45.28 million, including PHP925,895.50 for vegetables and PHP204,235 for corn.
In a previous interview, DA 6 (Western Visayas) executive director Remelyn Recoter advised affected farmers to inform their respective municipal agriculturists so they would be included in the master list for rehabilitation assistance.
Recoter also said damage to palay in the region would not affect this year’s target production because most of the areas hit by “Quinta” were still in the seedling and vegetative stage. (PNA)
