OPA urges farmers to claim P19-M insurance for Dante losses

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in Negros Occidental urged farmers to file for indemnity claims under the province’s crop insurance program after Tropical Storm Dante caused over P19 million in losses.

As of Thursday, OPA reported PHP19.6 million in total damage and losses affecting 1,113 rice, corn, and high-value crops farmers across 92 barangays in 13 local government units.

In the rice sector alone, losses amounted to P18.57 million, with Hinoba-an reporting the highest at P3.58 million affecting 114 farmers.

On Tuesday, OPA reported PHP8.3 million worth of production losses among 540 farmers in nine localities, impacting 502.25 hectares of rice and high-value crops farms.