MANILA, Philippines — Damage to agriculture due to Typhoon Odette has reached P12.7 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
As of noon yesterday, around 400,000 farmers and fishermen in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga were affected.
Volume production loss stood at 267,809 metric tons, covering 443,419 hectares of agricultural land.
Fisheries accounted for 31.2 percent of the damage with losses amounting to P4 billion. Up to 41,181 fishermen were affected.
Rice had a 20.3 percent share of the damage with volume loss of P2.6 billion; high-value crops, P1.6 billion; coconut, P1.5 billion, and sugarcane, P1.2 billion.
The DA said it would provide P2.9 billion in assistance to affected farmers and fishermen.