Damage to agriculture due to Mayon now at P185 million

Oozing molten volcanic debris cascades over the various gullies of iconic Mount Mayon on February 5, 2018. Photo by Rhaydz Barcia/Rappler

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Some P185 million in crops have been destroyed in Albay due to Mayon volcano's eruptions, affecting at least 9,791 farmers and around 7,131 hectares of land here.

Che Rebeta, provincial agricultural officer of the Albay Public Safety Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) office, reported the damages to agricultural crops reached P185,281,979. This was up from P94 million last January 26.

The provincial agricultural office reported rice plantations covering 5,375.95 hectares and worth about P160,496,550 was lost. The rice losses affected 5,750 farmers.

The next badly-affected plantations were vegetable plantations covering 958.51 hectares of land and affecting 3,092 farmers.

Corn plantation losses affected 706.25 hectares of land and 773 farmers, while 90.75 hectares of land with fruit bearing trees, affecting 176 farmers was also lost.

Rebeta said the number of affected farmers facing economic disaster is likely to increase as Mayon volcano continues to erupt. Farmers in the second and third districts were the most affected by ashfall.

Due to the ashfall, crop prices spiked, specifically vegetables in the local public markets of Legazpi City in Albay. This was despite a prize freeze following the declaration of a state of calamity by the provincial government.

Albay governor Al Francis Bichara called on the Department of Agriculture to look into the sudden increase of vegetable prices as vendors might be taking advantage of the situation for profit. – Rappler.com