THE damage brought by Southwest Monsoon or “habagat” enhanced by the recent Typhoon Ompong to the agriculture sector of Negros Occidental has surged to almost P4.9 million.
Reports of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), covering the period of September 14 to 18, showed that the total amount of production losses covers 761 affected farmers with 799.73-hectare rice farms in 19 barangays of four local government units (LGUs).
Of the figure, the biggest accounts for 646 rice farmers in six barangays of San Carlos City amounting to P2.1 million.
In terms of area, the damaged farms reached 679.80 hectares.
It was followed by Cadiz City with P1.47 million, covering 55 farmers with combine areas of 54 hectares in four barangays of the northern Negros Occidental locality.
OPA also reported that 57 rice farmers with 64.03-hectare farms in seven barangays of Bago City incurred P1.26 million worth of damage.
It also noted P24, 299 in production losses in two barangays of Moises Padilla town. This accounts for three farmers with 1.90-hectare farms.
In terms of stage of production, 480 hectares of the damaged farms are already in the vegetative stage, reports further showed.
Almost 295 hectares are in maturity stage while the remaining 25.70 hectares are in the reproductive stage, it added.
Earlier, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported damage to animal sector worth about P120, 000 in four barangays of three localities.
The report covering the period of September 14 to 15 showed that the typhoon left P95, 374 worth of damage at Barangays East and West in Candoni.
Affected livestock animals are cattle, sow, fattener, piglet and calf, all being raised in backyard farms.
In Kabankalan City, three backyard farms in Barangay Bantayan incurred P20, 000 worth of losses. Affected farmers raise duck, native chicken and piglet.
PVO also reported P4, 633 worth of damage in Hinoba-an town. Affected are layer chickens in a backyard farm at Barangay 2.