• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The sugar industry suffered an estimated loss of P1.2 billion in the Visayas alone due to the devastation brought by Typhoon Tino, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
In a report, the SRA said that more than 16,000 sugar farmers were also affected, wreaking havoc in more than 53,000 hectares covering the mill districts in Negros Island, Capiz, Iloilo, Leyte and Cebu.
“We have seen entire fields decimated by Tino especially in the fourth and fifth districts of Negros Occidental, where harvestable canes were flattened and flooded, and we can only hope that these fields will be able to recover,” SRA head Pablo Azcona said.
Azcona also expected delays in milling, with four sugar mills forced to stop operations for almost a week as they too have been damaged, citing the mills in La Carlota City and Binalbagan that had to shut down for a week before they were able to refire their mills.
Hardest hit were sugarlands in Biscom mill district covering Himamaylan City and the towns of Isabela, Binalbagan, Hinigaran and Moises Padilla were over 20,000 hectares of sugar lands were severely damaged, followed by the La Carlota mill district with over 10,000 hectares, San Carlos district which includes Canlaon, Sagay-Danao district, and Ma-ao district.
Azcona expected a drop in sugar production of 500,000 bags of raw sugar, and molasses, based on the initial assessments.
He added that SRA has started procuring fertilizers to aid farmers who were badly affected, which will soon be distributed to mill districts and sugar associations.
Describing Typhoon Tino as among the strongest storms and heaviest flooding experienced by Negrenses, Azcona said it is a major challenge to the sugar industry that is already facing problems with the red-striped soft scale insect infestation, noting also that it flooded areas, which have never been flooded in history.
Flooding was also brought about by Kanlaon Volcano continuous ashfalls, clogging rivers and vital drainage with ash and lahar, he added. | GB
