Reported agricultural losses caused by Tropical Storm Kalmaegi totaled nearly NT$740 million (US$24.42 million) as of 10am yesterday, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said.
Kalmaegi, which made landfall in Ilan County late on Thursday and exited near the Taoyuan County early on Friday, triggered torrential rains that caused widespread damage to crops and animal husbandries in central and southern Taiwan.
The council estimated that agricultural losses caused by Kalmaegi would continue to rise after the weather improved and local governments gained a better picture of the aftermath of the storm.
Of all the cities and counties affected by the storm, the south-central agricultural county of Yunlin was the hardest hit, with losses totaling more than NT$200 million, making it eligible for subsidies and low interest loans under the country’s disaster relief laws, the COA said.
Damage to crops totaled NT$472 million, with leafy vegetables, melons, bananas, pears and grapes being the hardest hit, the COA said.
A total of 10,690 hectares of farmland suffered crop damage from the storm, with an average of 24 percent of the crops on those lands considered lost, the council said.
Livestock losses amounted to NT$79.32 million, with 775 pigs, 757,000 chickens, 145,000 ducks, 8,000 geese and 9,000 turkeys perishing in the storm, the COA said.
Meanwhile, fishery losses totaled NT$22.71 million and forestry losses amounted to NT$1.22 million, the COA said.
Nantou County was the second hardest hit, with losses topping NT$156.40 million, followed by Tainan County, at NT$138.79 million, the council said.
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