Damage wrought by Basyang total P200M – Agriculture

Typhoon Basyang wrought damage to an estimated P200 million worth of crops, the Agriculture Department said in a preliminary report Monday. The figures are not yet final, but the department said the ultimate numbers would likely not stray too far from Monday’s report. The department’s Management Information division said that 88,799 metric tons of fruits and vegetables worth P178.23 million were lost to Basyang, which ravaged about 680,000 hectares of farmland when it hit Luzon on July 13. Rice lost to the typhoon amounted to 299 MT or P12.97 million in 1,325 hectares of rice fields with mostly seedlings and plants that do not yet have flowers. The damage to corn and fisheries were minimal, amounting to P223,928 and P335,000, respectively, the report said. About 17 MT of maturing corn crop were destroyed in 87 hectares, it said. Typhoon Basyang affected the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes. Agriculture Secretary Proseso Alcala said the government is now preparing to release assistance to affected provinces. "Initially, we’re releasing P6 to P10 million for Sta. Cruz Laguna. We will be providing more assistance to other affected provinces. Seeds and other agricultural inputs will be distributed to damaged areas," Alcala said. Quezon province suffered for the biggest loss at P145.2 million followed by Rizal at P26.4 million, where mostly vegetable farms and banana plantations were destroyed, the department said. —JE/VS, GMANews.TV