Agri damage in DavNor reach P301M

TAGUM CITY-Continuous rains that has resulted to flooding in Davao del Norte province has resulted to a cumulative agriculture damage amounting to P301,705,290 as of January 21, 2013. This is only a partial and initial result as it does not inlcude the agricultural damages in the municipality of Kapalong yet. “The damage in agricultural is greater now compared to the damages resulting from Typhoon Pablo because the water level is higher now,” Provincial Agriculturist Dominador Encarnacion said. Encarnacion said up to 11,724.85 hectares of land and 1,952 farmers have been affected by the flooding in almost 64 barangays in the municipalities of Asuncion, New Corella, Carmen, Sto. Tomas and B.E. Dujali. Hardest hit was the municipality of Carmen with agricultural damage worth P152,390,340 affecting 3,094.15 hectares and up top 1,944 farmers in 48 barangays. He said a total of 2,267.15 hectares of reproductive ricelands belonging to 1,694 farmers were submerged in floodwaters resulting to damages worth P20,510,340 million. While only 690 hectares of banana farms have been destroyed by the floodwaters,, it has a higher value at P124.2 million. Vegetable farms in Carmen were also destroyed with damages amounting to P7 million. Also affected, he added, were brackish bangus, harvestable freshwater tilapia and hito. Encarnacion said 4,381 hectares of vegetative rice farms in Sto. Tomas worth P100.779 million were also destroyed by the flood. Up to 2,477 hectares of agricultural products worth P25.790 million have also been destroyed in Asuncion. The lands were planted to rice, corn, cavendish banana, cardaba banana, cacao and vegetables. In B.E. Dujali, P18.566 million worth of damages were recorded due to the destruction of 2,380 hectares of land planted banana, rice and vegetable as well as fgish pond and fresh water ponds. Up to 69 hectares of fishponds in Panabo City have also been destroyed by the recent flooding amounting to P3.175 million.(lovely a. Carillo)