BACOLOD City – Damages to crops caused by the El Niño phenomenon in Negros Occidental climbed to P14.4 million, based on the latest data provided by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday.
A total of 369.11 hectares of rice fields and 383 farmers in 43 villages across 11 local government units in the province are now affected by the dry spell, Lacson said.
The municipality of Cauayan is the most affected so far, with damages pegged at almost P7.7 million, followed by Hinoba-an town with P2.4 million worth of damages.
Most of the affected areas are rice fields or farmlands that rely on rainfall instead of irrigation.
Lacson said he has already talked with Department of Agriculture Region 6 director Dennis Arpia.
Arpia informed the governor that he is now consulting with his team regarding the proposed cloud seeding operations in the province.
“Hopefully, we can hear some good news next week,” Lacson said.
However, Lacson emphasized that cloud seeding is not a 100-percent solution to the dry spell.
Arpia also warned the governor of the disadvantages of cloud seeding.
Earlier, OPA officer-in-charge Dr. Dina Genzola said that the affected rice fields are either in the vegetative or harvestable stage.
The OPA continues to encourage farmers to enroll in the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and the provincial government’s crop insurance initiative.
The state weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said Negros Occidental, including its capital Bacolod City, will continue to experience drought conditions until May of this year.
Pagasa defined drought as three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall conditions. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
