Jolina leaves P633 million damage to agriculture

MANILA, Philippines — The amount of damage that Typhoon Jolina brought to agriculture now stands at P633.36 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported yesterday.

Data from the DA’s disaster risk reduction management operation center showed that as of noon yesterday, Jolina had displaced 36,983 farmers and fishermen, with total volume production losses of 26,749 metric tons.

More than 17,680 hectares of farmlands in Bicol, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Central Luzon as well as in Eastern and Western Visayas were destroyed in the typhoon.

“Affected commodities included rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, fisheries and agriculture facilities,” the DA said.

Rice accounted for 48.31 percent of the damage with a total volume loss of P306 million.

Fisheries accounted for 21.85 percent at P138.4 million. This included damaged fisheries, and fishing boats and gear.

High-value crops incurred 15.03 percent share in the total amount of damage, particularly vegetables, fruit trees and cassava at P95.2 million.

Corn accounted for 9.98 percent at P63.2 million.

The DA said P28.4 million worth of irrigation and agriculture facilities were damaged including solar panels, livestock and poultry houses, greenhouses, seed storage, and post-harvest and food processing equipment.

Meanwhile, the initial amount of damage caused by Typhoon Kiko was estimated at P6.5 million as of Sunday.

Kiko displaced 596 farmers and destroyed 662 hectares of farmlands with a total volume loss of 159 MT.

High-value crops accounted for more than half of the damage at 55.8 percent, while rice and corn incurred 32.8 percent and 11.4 percent shares in losses, respectively.

As this developed, the southwest monsoon will continue to dump rain over Northern Luzon and some areas in the Visayas.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country can expect fair weather with isolated rainshowers in the afternoon or evening due to localized thunderstorms.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration monitored an active tropical cyclone outside of the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday.

The cyclone may develop into a low-pressure area within the next two to three days as it moves toward the eastern section of Mindanao and the Visayas. – Elizabeth Marcelo