MANILA, Philippines — The amount of crop damage caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine has increased to P6.2 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The DA said 283,500 tons of production volume was lost due to Kristine.
Up to 143,065 farmers and fisherfolk nationwide were displaced by the storm, which destroyed 117,500 hectares of farms.
Rice, high-value crops and corn incurred the greatest amount of losses with P4.46 billion, P865.09 million and P74.05 million, respectively.
The DA said damage to the fishery sector reached P665 million, with 6,017 fisherfolk affected by the calamity.
Up to P28 million worth of irrigation facilities and P50.46 million in other farm structures were destroyed by Kristine.
The DA said it has released P541.02 million in assistance to typhoon-affected regions.