THE Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 1 recorded about P278-million partial damages to various crops due to devastation brought by Typhoon Lando.

DA Regional Director Valentino Perdido, however, told local media Thursday here that the damages might reach up to P500-million as reporting from various affected areas continues to arrive.

Perdido said thousands of mango trees and high-value crops were also toppled down due to strong winds and heavy rains.

He said they have buffer seeds good for 50,000 hectares in Region 1 that are ready to be distributed to affected farmers.

Pangasinan reportedly sustained the biggest crop damages, Ilocos Norte second, followed by La Union and Ilocos Sur.

Initial reports showed Pangasinan sustained partial damages in rice to the tune of P185 million although this could still increase.

Reports of crop damages are slowly trickling because many areas are still without electricity.

This is a big set back for Pangasinan which is famous throughout the region not only in rice but for its “pinakbet” vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, okra, ampalaya, squash, pepper as well as sweet potatoes.

Among the areas in Pangasinan that sustained the biggest damages on rice are the rice-producing fifth and second districts that were inundated due to prolonged heavy rains that caused rivers to overflow.

Most of the rice crops (55 percent) that were affected were blown down by the winds and many of them would have survived but this was followed by heavy rains that flooded the rice fields.

After four days of being soaked in the water, these rice crops will be considered as totally lost, will rot and have no more economic value.

At least 45 percent or 133,000 hectares of the 299,000 hectare programmed areas in Pangasinan are in their flowering stage and may yet have a chance to survive unless soaked too long in the water.

Perdido said the DA has a buffer seed stock of certified and hybrid rice to be given to farmers in the region for them to rehabilitate their damaged farm but this are reserved firstly for farmers who sustained total damages.

Meanwhile, Avenix Arenas, spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of Pangasinan said in the same forum that partial damages in the province as of Oct. 22 reached more than P243-million for infrastructure and another P250-million to agriculture including fisheries.

Damages to houses were initially placed at P60-million, she added. (Leonardo Micua/Tita Roces)

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments