HOT lava spewed from the restive Mayon volcano has damaged crops mostly vegetables planted along its slopes. Based on a partial report submitted by the office of the city agriculturist in Legazpi and the municipal agriculturist of Malilipot town an estimated 320 metric tons of assorted vegetables worth P3.7 million planted in 60.65 hectares had been damaged.

        The affected areas are barangays Calabayog and San Roque in Malilipot; barangays Boyuan, Mabinit, Bonga and Matanag of Legazpi City. The damaged crops include tomato, squash, baguio beans, pechay, winged beans, raddish, pepper, squash, bitter gourd (ampalaya) and white gourd (upo).

        An assessment data of areas within the danger zone of Mayon volcano prepared by the Department of Agriculture regional office showed that there are 4,530 hectares planted to rice; 213. 1 hectares to vegetables; 15.5 hectares to root crops; 343.7 hectares to coconut and 103.6 hectares to abaca.

        The DA reactivated its Mayon task force and prepared a Mayon eruption contingency plan. Specially, the evacuation of its personnel and vital equipment at the Albay Breeding Station and Animal Diagnostic Laboratory in Camalig, Albay to the Agricultural Training Institute in Guinobatan, Albay shall be carried out.

        The DA made an inventory of its animals which are to be evacuated in a safer place should eruption occur Biologics and mineral blocks have likewise been stocked for these animals.

        Newly assumed OIC, regional executive director Dr. Arsenio A. Fortin recently met with Albay governor Fernando Gonzales and the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council about the DA’s contingency plan. He has instructed the regional field operations personnel as well as the personnel in the DA extension office in Rawis, Legazpi to be on alert and keep updates on crop damages.