The damage to crops and livestock caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon brought by Typhoon Goring has climbed to P122.5 million, the offices of the Provincial Veterinarian (PVO) and the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) reported Thursday morning, August 31.
PVO head Dr. Placeda Lemana said as of August 30, they had recorded a total of 470 livestock deaths across the province, with damages amounting to more than P2.5 million.
Badly hit by the livestock deaths were the province's 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th districts.
The livestock that were killed included horses, carabao, goats, ducks, and native chickens.
Several hog deaths were also recorded, although this time, it can be attributed to the inclement weather experienced in the province instead of the hog illnesses that ravaged several pig farms in Negros Occidental a few months ago.
Lemana also added that the local government units are continuing to conduct damage assessments among local livestock farmers, as there is a possibility that both the provincial and regional offices of the Department of Agriculture may hand out assistance to the affected livestock farmers.
Meanwhile, OPA, in a report, said that a total of P116.8 million worth of damages to rice, corn, and high-value crops were recorded.
At least 2,888 farmers in 67 villages across 13 local government units were affected by the poor weather conditions.
OPA officer-in-charge Dr. Dina Genzola also said that aside from crops, an estimated P1,447,000 in fishery losses were also recorded in the province.
Genzola noted that fishery losses were from fish pens located in two local government units.
Their pens overflowed due to the non-stop rain.
Assessment is also made among the local government units for possible aid to the affected farmers, while authorities are hard at work in looking for a way to recover some of the crops that were damaged.*