BACOLOD CITY - The second wave of flashfloods in Negros Occidental caused more damage to the agriculture and fisheries sectors, which incurred losses of over P42 million in just the first two weeks of 2021.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), in its latest report, showed that the January 8 flashfloods left a total of almost P21.5-million worth of damage and production losses.
It was much higher than the damage caused by the January 1 flashfloods, which was pegged at P16.5 million in five localities in the northern part of the province.
The recent destruction in agri-fisheries sector brought by torrential rains in the past week affected 973 farmers with combined production areas of 679.64 hectares in 54 barangays of eight localities in the province.
OPA also reported that the rice sector incurred the biggest amount of damage and production losses at about P15.78 million, covering the period from January 8 to 12 in the towns of Manapla and Valladolid, and cities of Silay, Sagay, Cadiz, and Talisay.
Another badly-hit sector was that which produces high value crops (HVC), incurring a total of almost P5.78-million worth of damage and production losses.
The OPA reported that 45 farmers with a combined area of 3.85 hectares in four barangays of Talisay City and Silay City were affected.
The province’s fisheries sector also incurred damage and losses amounting to P591,980, in the cities of Sagay, Cadiz, Talisay, San Carlos, and the town of E.B. Magalona.
Of the figure, Sagay City registered the highest amount of losses, at P250,000. “The damage was caused by strong waves,” the report stated.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported P1.04 million worth of losses to the province’s livestock and poultry sector in the January 8 flooding.
The report, covering the period of January 8 to 11, showed that the amount covers animal raisers from 36 barangays of in the cities of Sagay, Talisay, Silay, Victorias, Bago and La Carlota, and towns of E.B. Magalona, Pulupandan, Pontevedra, San Enrique and Valladolid.
The PVO said affected animals included gamefowl, swine, free-range chicken, native chicken, ducks and goats, among others.