Super typhoon “Egay” (international name: “Doksuri”) has destroyed almost P2 billion worth of agricultural goods, a Department of Agriculture official said on Tuesday.
DA Assistant Secretary for Operations Arnel de Mesa said in a Palace briefing that the losses and damage caused by “Egay” have gone up from the P1.54 billion reported by the Agriculture Department on 30 July.
“As of today, the estimated damage is already at P1.94 billion,” De Mesa said, adding that the affected agricultural commodities include P713 million for corn and rice at P950 million.
Damage and losses were reported in the Ilocos area, Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), Calabarzon (Region 4), Mimaropa (Region 4-A), Western Visayas (Region 6) and Caraga (Region 13).
“All the interventions of the Department of Agriculture are now in place in cooperation with our regional field offices and with the local government units, especially (in) those affected regions,” De Mesa said.
The total volume of production loss was pegged at 86,975 metric tons from 147,063 hectares of agricultural areas.
Affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry and fisheries.