'Helen' spares Isabela crops

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – Unlike in the Ilocos region and the rest of northern Luzon, agricultural damage in Cagayan Valley from typhoon “Helen” was practically nil, with almost no reported yield losses.

Dr. Danilo Tumamao, Isabela provincial agriculture officer, said the country’s leading rice and corn-producing province was generally spared by the typhoon, with almost all the standing crops surviving it.

“We can say in a way that there were affected areas in the province if you are talking of damage in hectare, but definitely there has not been any yield loss so far,” he said.

Agricultural damage from Helen in Cagayan Valley were said to be similar to that of typhoon “Gener” which farmers even considered a blessing for bringing rain to their rice fields.

Earlier, Isabela officials expressed fear that Helen could leave multimillion-peso damage to palay and corn crops.