The Philippine agricultural sector has recorded damage and losses following the enhanced Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat, and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng, and Pilandok, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Final assessments by the DA's regional offices recorded damage and losses in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.
The weather disturbances affected 99,663 farmers and damaged 81,511 hectares of agricultural land. Total crop and agricultural commodity losses reached 102,791 tons.
High-value crops incurred losses of P1.38 billion (US$24 million). Affected crops included upland and lowland vegetables, spices, legumes, avocado, calamansi, citrus, durian, guyabano, honeydew, lanzones, mangosteen, melon, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, rambutan, strawberry, watermelon, banana, mango, root crops, commercial crops, and ornamental crops.
Cassava losses were valued at P30.94 million (US$537,000).
Infrastructure and equipment were also affected. Irrigation facilities sustained P72.52 million (US$1.26 million) in damage, while farm structures recorded P40.64 million (US$705,000). Damage to machinery and equipment amounted to P6.35 million (US$110,000).
Source - https://www.freshplaza.com
