ANTIQUE – The province of Antique has suffered nearly P90 million in agricultural losses so far due to the El Niño phenomenon.
Of this, the rice sector is the most hit, with damages registering at P72,212,496 and affecting 2,931 rice farmers, while high-value crops like corn stood at P17,539,807.
Data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), as per consolidated reports from Municipal Agriculture Offices, further showed that 1,720.24 hectares of palay were affected.
Of which, 190.34 hectares are irrigated areas, or 1.7 percent of the 11,600.58 hectares reported as standing crops, and 1,529.90 hectares are rainfed, or 31.86 percent of the 4,801 hectares reported as standing crops, as of Dec. 31, 2023.
“The highest damage and losses were derived from rainfed areas, with vegetative and reproductive stages having almost no chance of recovery during drought,” the OPA report stated.
The municipality of Sibalom registered the highest losses with P35,367,706, followed by San Remigio and Hamtic with 27,589,900 and 4,549,630, respectively.
Meanwhile, on corn plantations, 320.355 hectares were damaged by the agricultural drought, which affected 425 corn growers in the municipalities of Barbaza, Patnongon, Hamtic, Sibalom, Valderrama, and San Remigio.
Patnongon town reported the highest damage and losses amounting to P8,203,925, followed by Barbaza and San Remigio with P3,674,400 and P4,378,700, respectively.
Most of the affected rice and corn plantations are in their vegetative and productive stages, according to Provincial Agriculturist Nick Calawag.
He explained that their office advised farmers earlier not to venture into rice farming because of the El Niño phenomenon forecast, but since there were scattered rains, the farmers took chances.
“Tungod sang forecast nga ma-start earlier ang El Niño kag sige man ulan-ulan, napilitan ang iban nga masugal na lang kay siling nila basi magsala ang forecast kay forecast lang mo pero naabutan gid,” Calawag said.
Despite this, most affected farmers are insured so they could expect a return on their farm inputs.
“Ining farmers most sa ila insured man. Insured ang ila talamnan, so more likely mabalik man ang ila inputs nga gingasto,” Calawag added./PN
