Agri damage from Odette now at P59 M

MANILA, Philippines - The value of agricultural products damaged by Typhoon Odette has reached P59.54 million, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Affected were the Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 1, 2, 4-B and 5. Damaged crops include rice, corn, banana and vegetables.

Worst hit was Region 2 with losses valued at P25.91 million, followed by Region 1 with P20.75 million.

Odette destroyed a total of 13,491 hectares of agricultural lands.

Damage in areas devoted to palay production was placed at P45.43 million comprising 2,630 metric tons.

Agriculture Undersecretary for field operations Dante Delima said the National Food Authority would provide assistance to affected farmers in drying palay that could still be saved.

He said the farmers would also be given seeds for replanting.

Damage to crops such as corn and banana reached P372,600 and P555,000, respectively.

In Ilocos Norte, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said damage to infrastructure and agriculture reached P125 million.

Local officials placed the province under a state of calamity following the onslaught of Odette.

The weather disturbance affected a total of 83 barangays, displacing 6,728 families.

Rehabilitation of damaged roads and other infrastructure is now ongoing. 

Over P25 million worth of agricultural crops were destroyed in the provinces of Batanes and Cagayan, a report from the Office of Civil Defense said.

Affected areas in Cagayan were the municipalities of Calayan, Camiguin, Gonzaga and Aparri.  

Price freeze

Prices of prime commodities have been frozen in Ilocos Norte as a result of the state of calamity declared earlier in the province.

Victorio Dimagiba, director of the Consumer Welfare and Business Regulation Group, gave assurance that sufficient stocks of basic commodities are available in the province and that prices remain stable.

Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution declaring a state of calamity on account of the damage inflicted by Typhoon Odette in Ilocos Norte.

The storm destroyed crops valued at P14 million, while livestock and fishery sectors suffered losses amounting to P20 million.

Landslides were also reported in Pagudpud town where a concrete seawall collapsed at the height of the typhoon.

Worst hit by the typhoon were Laoag City and the towns of Pagudpud, Banna, Marcos, Bangui, Solsona, Pasuqui, Nueva Era, Piddig, Bacarra and Paoay. – With Artemio Dumlao, Raymund Catindig, Teddy Molina