The damage to agriculture due to the impact of El Nino reached over a billion pesos, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Wednesday.

Data showed that a total of P1,056,379,891.26 worth of agricultural crops were damaged because of the effect of El Nino.

The NDRRMC report noted that a total of 23,086 farmers and 17,718.11 hectares of farm lands were affected by the dry spell and drought.

The affected farm areas were recorded in regions of Ilocos, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.

NDRRMC said six barangays in Himamaylan in Negros Occidental have also been experiencing shortage in water supply for drinking and agricultural use since December 2023.

It also noted that two municipalities from Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula were experiencing water supply interruptions because of the effect of El Nino. Robina Asido/DMS