June 23, 2008

Philippines farm sector suffers US$12.6 million in damage due to typhoon

The Philippine agriculture sector has so far incurred production losses amounting to PHP555 million (US$12.6 million) from typhoon Fengshen, the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year, the Department of Agriculture said Monday (June 23, 2008).

The rice sector is believed to have incurred a production loss of 242,213 hectares, based on a partial damage report reaching the department.

Over a thousand hectares of farmland planted to corn were also damaged, the department said in a statement.

Typhoon Fengshen, which battered the Philippines over the weekend, left 224 people dead and 373 missing.