Heavy rains and floods brought by the northeast monsoon, shearline, and the trough of a low-pressure area have resulted in agricultural damage and losses of about P359 million, the Department of Agriculture reported on Sunday.

The losses were recorded, affecting 16,521 farmers with an output volume loss of 3,368 metric tons on 23,240 hectares of farmland.

Rice tillers suffered the most losses, affecting 22,213 hectares, with a volume loss of 753 metric tons, amounting to P311.94 million. Compostela Valley was the hardest-hit area, with a value loss of between P60 and P66 million.

Davao del Norte suffered a value loss between P40 million and P60 million, followed by the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental, which suffered losses not exceeding P20 million each.

Most of the affected areas were newly planted with crops.

Meanwhile, 704 hectares of corn farmlands were affected, with a volume loss of 2,006 metric tons, amounting to P41.87 million.

Agusan del Norte incurred the highest value loss for corn, between P20 million and P25 million; while Davao del Norte’s loss was P5 million to P10 million; followed by the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, and Compostela Valley, each with losses of less than P5 million.