‘Rosita’ damage to rice, crops placed at P112M

SWOLLEN RIVER A motorcyclist drives over Pinaripad Bridge in Aglipay town,Quirino province. Rivers in the region were swollen by rains brought by Typhoon “Rosita.” —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Damage to rice and high-value crops in the Cordillera and Central Luzon was initially placed at P112.21 million.

The Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday that the typhoon damaged 7,448 hectares, affecting 4,979 farmers.

Rice accounted for the largest share of the damage to agriculture in Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Aurora, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Zambales.

An estimated 6,560 metric tons of rice were lost.

The typhoon also ravaged P199,079 worth of high-value crops, affecting 19 ha of assorted vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, potato, tomato, garden pea, bell pepper, lettuce, carrot and snap beans.

Production loss was placed at 4 MT.

The Department of Agriculture has yet to release the amount of damage incurred by livestock, poultry and fisheries subsectors.

The department has loan programs to farmers who are affected by calamities.

Under its Survival and Recovery program, for instance, farmers may avail themselves of a grant worth P5,000 for fast relief and an additional P20,000 loan as capital. —Karl R. Ocampo