Damage to agri by 'Egay' reach P692M – DA

While the country is still reeling from the impact of tropical storm “Falcon," the Department of Agriculture on Monday reported that storm “Egay" has damaged P692 million worth of crops and livestock. On June 17, tropical depression “Egay" developed in the east of Mindanao and left the country three days later. Wednesday last week, the damage from “Egay" was estimated at P316 million. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/224126/nation/da-p316m-in-agriculture-lost-due-to-39egay39 Reports from 13 affected provinces in Luzon and Mindanao recorded the losses at P560 million for rice crops, P121 million from corn crops, P10 million for high value crops and P1 million for livestock and poultry. North Cotabato and Maguindanao reported the biggest losses of P313 million and P258 million, respectively. Other provinces that were affected by “Egay" were Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales in Region III, Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental in Region X, as well as Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Davao City in Region XI; South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City in Region XII; and Lanao del Sur in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. In those provinces nearly 22,301 hectares of rice lands, mostly in the seedling and vegetative stages were affected of which 17,497 hectares were completely damaged. Lost palay from the areas in the reproductive stages is estimated at 21,640 metric tons (MT) or 0.62 percent of the 3.49 million MT national production target for the 3rd quarter of 2011. Over 7,593 hectares of corn in seedling or vegetative stages were also affected, with 5,318 hectares completely damaged equivalent to 5,962 MT or 0.25 percent of the 2.36-million MT production target in the 3rd quarter of the year. The damage to high value vegetables were concentrated in Bukidnon, Maguindanao and Zambales. Damage to banana and sugarcane plantations were also reported. Bukidnon, Bataan and Maguindanao also reported having lost livestock — cattle, carabaos, horses, goats, and poultry — to floods. Six cyclones already entered Philippine territory so far and 16 more are still expected to arrive this year, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. — BC/VS, GMA News