DAGUPAN CITY -- Damage brought by the continuous onslaught of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” to the agriculture sector of Pangasinan has reached P97.18 million.

A report from the Provincial Agriculture Office (OPA) released on Monday, September 3, recorded P85.59 million losses in rice production.

It said 5,153 hectares of rice paddies in 15 towns and cities in the province were damaged.

Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya, in an interview Tuesday, said the aquaculture sector incurred about P2.06 million in losses because of damage to 50 hectares of fishponds growing bangus, malaga, lapu-lapu, tilapia and shrimp.

Moya said damage to 24 hectares of vegetation areas hit by southwest monsoon reached P9.25 million.

Among the most damaged plantations were dedicated to eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, squash, bottle gourd (upo), okra, papaya, and patola, she added.

As of Tuesday, September 4, OPA is undertaking further assessments to determine priorities in assisting fishermen and farmers in the province. (PNA)