The Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) shared preliminary data (as of October 8) on the status of damages to crops after recent heavy rains.

More than 124 thousand hectares of crops (over 300,000 acres) were affected from the intense rains  dropped by Tropical Storm Nate late last week.

The area with the greatest impact is the Chorotega Region with almost 106 thousand hectares lost. These include especially pasture fields, vegetables, and sugar cane; basic grains such as rice, beans, and corn; as well as melon, papaya and watermelon, among other crops.

 

 

An additional estimated 14,430 hectares were lost in the Eastern Central Region, and 4,211 in the Central Pacific. These losses include rice, sugar cane, lemon, palm oil, papaya, hay, and watermelon crops.

Preliminary data are still being collected in the Western Central Region, and the Huetar Norte and Brunca regions.
“The quantification of agricultural losses is a process that will take several days. We have preliminary reports and we are working on a consolidated report. There is not much information about the Brunca Region (south) or Huetar Norte (northern) due to the problems along access roads to the communities, however, MAG officials will soon establish contact and we will have even more clear the situation, which we know has created a lot of damage for farmers,” said Luis Felipe Arauz, Costa Rican agricultural minister.
Since the start of the rains last week, the MAG has stationed more than 100 officials in regional offices to aid families in managing their losses.