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Farmers report damage to crops due to Nangka, Chan-Hom
DLNR to assess damage to crops
The Department of Land and Natural Resources began assessing the damage to the islands’ crops yesterday after the CNMI was hit with two tropical cyclones in two succeeding weekends.
According to DLNR Division of Agriculture director Manuel Tenorio, they will go around and assess the damage caused by Tropical Storm Chan-Hom and Typhoon Nangka on local crops.
Saipan and Northern Islands Agricultural Fair Association president and Northern Marianas College Cooperative Research, Extension and Education’s Michael Ogo said he had heard reports of crop damage from some farmers due to the typhoon.
“There were reports of damage by farmers like their bananas and other crops, you know, eggplants and all those vegetables,” Ogo said.
He expects 20 to 30 percent damage because of the typhoon that moved very close to Saipan.
One farmer who experienced damage to his corn crops was Crispin Guerrero.
“Corn is very fragile. The amount of wind and rain—they knocked out my corn,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero said the first time his corn was knocked down, he tried to bring them back up but they got knocked out again when another typhoon hit.
“I tried but it’s not the same, it won’t be the same,” Guerrero said when asked if he’ll try to revive the damaged corns a third time.
Isidoro Cabrera, who has a hydroponic farm, also suffered some damage. He said he assessed a loss of 25 percent as his lettuces were damaged because of Nangka’s strong winds.
Cabrera said some of his banana trees were also toppled.
DLNR Secretary Richard Seman is also concerned about the effects of excess water on the crops.
“The typhoon was not as bad as other typhoons but the water, the excess of water, is probably the one that impacts them the most,” Seman said.
“Right now they are at a stage where they are transitioning the harvest and the new planting so that might have been a good timing for this weather,” he added.
