Photo courtesy of Taitung County government

Taipei, Aug. 1 (CNA) The agricultural losses following Typhoon Nesat and Tropical Storm Haitang on July 29-30 have reached NT$280.5 million (US$9.27 million), according to the Council of Agriculture (COA).

Yilan County was the worst affected of the 22 cities and counties across Taiwan, with damage valued at NT$121.4 million (US$4 million), accounting for 45 percent of total losses.

Pingtung County suffered damage of NT$76.74 million (US$2.54 million), or 27 percent of total losses.

Chiayi County incurred damage of NT$18.07 million (US$597,255) or 6 percent of total losses.

Yunlin County suffered NT$17.36 million (US$573,920) in damage accounting for about 6 percent of total losses.

Hualien County suffered damage of NT$9.67 million (US$319,745), accounting for 3 percent of total losses.

Taitung County had damage of NT$9.54 million (US$315,385), also roughly 3 percent of total losses.

Kaohsiung City suffered damage of NT$8.25 million (US$272,738), accounting for approximately 3 percent of total losses.

Total cost to the agricultural sector is expected to reach NT$246.49 million (US$8.15 million) with 4,772 tons of crops destroyed.

This includes 949 tons or NT$50.3 million worth of bananas, NT$22.216 million of shallots (green onions), NT$17.534 million worth of guava, NT$14.982 million of grapefruit and NT$14.593 million worth of bamboo shoots.

The damage to livestock is expected to be NT$12,270,000, mainly chickens, ducks and pigs.

The damage to the fisheries industry is expected to reach NT$15.960 million, mainly impacting crimson snappers, orange-spotted groupers (estuary cod), Indian salmon, giant groupers and barramundis (Asian sea bass).

The damage to private facilities is believed to be NT$5.800 million.

The COA has designated Yilan and Pingtung counties eligible for cash assistance and low interest loans.

(By Yang Shu-min and CNA intern William Yen)
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