Taiwan's agricultural losses from Typhoon Megi have reached at least NT$1 billion (US$31.89 million) as of Wednesday 27 September, according to an initial estimate released by the Council of Agriculture (COA).
As of 5 p.m., agricultural losses as a result of the damage caused by the storm had reached NT$1.03 billion, with Yunlin County in the central-south part of western Taiwan suffering the heaviest losses, the COA said.
Typhoon Megi made landfall on Tuesday in Hualien County, eastern Taiwan, causing four deaths and 527 injuries and leaving more than 3.64 million households without power before moving away toward China early Wednesday.
Farmers in Yunlin suffered NT$210.2 million in losses, or 20 percent of the national total, according to the COA figures.
Kaohsiung reported at least NT$165.1 million in agricultural losses, ahead of Taichung, with NT$144.05 million in losses, and Tainan, with NT$76.06 million in losses, the COA data shows. Miaoli County reported NT$74 million in losses.
Crop damage accounted for most of the losses, according to the COA, with 18,570 hectares of farmland and NT$964.75 million-worth of crops damaged.
The COA said banana growers took the biggest hit, suffering crop losses of NT$136.51 million and damage to 294 hectares of farmland.
Growers of rice and guavas, persimmons and taro also suffered heavy losses, the COA said.
Source - http://www.freshplaza.com
