Antiqueños Community Website - Province of Antique, Philippines - Typhoon ‘Frank’ ravaged Antique with P306,155,904 damages in Agriculture

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

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Typhoon ‘Frank’ ravaged Antique with P306,155,904 damages in Agriculture

Posted by Philippine Information Agency

San Jose, Antique – Typhoon ‘Frank’ ravaged Antique’s agriculture, crops, fisheries, poultry and livestock in the amount of P306,155,904.00 as it devastated other properties, infrastructure and left thousands of families homeless and in grief over missing and dead family members.

Provincial Agriculturist Nick Calawag in an interview said that vast portions of the province’ productive farmlands were covered by mud/siltation during flashfloods especially in the areas of Sibalom, San Remigio, Belison, Bugasong, Patnongon and Valderrama affecting about 8,551 farmers.

More than 6,400 hectares of fertile farmlands turned into rivers during heavy rains. Of the total area damaged, 5,567 hectares were planted to rice and 834 hectares were planted with other crops like vegetables, corn, bananas and peanuts. An estimated area with chances of recovery is about 2,888 hectares for rice and 640 hectares for other crops, said Calawag.

Total damages in crops summed up to P164,834,671.00.

For fisheries, P62,341,248.00 damages were reported. Boats/Bangka of small fisherfolks and fishing nets/sweepers of fry gatherers and other fishing gears were smashed in shorelines. Fishponds were flooded losing fry and fingerlings and seaweeds plantation in northern Antique were also washed out by strong water current, said the source.

Poultry and livestock were not spared of the damages. More than 1000 heads of cattles and carabaos were reported dead some are missing, including 1,561 goats, 972 swine and 17,726 poultry with more than 3,800 poultry and livestock farmers affected. Total Damages in livestock is P28,979,985.00, said Dr. Romeo Magdato, Provincial Veterinarian.

For irrigation structures, National Irrigation Administration reported the total damaged in structures and crops to about P50 million from 42 Communal Irrigation Systems and Sibalom San Jose Irrigation System.

With rehabilitation program in placed, concerned agencies are doing its part to ensure food security in the province will not be affected, Calawag concluded. (PS Mabaquiao/PIA)

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