ILOILO – Losses in the province’s livestock and poultry industries due to the El Niño phenomenon from January to March this year have reached P102,401,272 already, according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).
The losses, however, could still increase. Only nine municipalities have so far filed reports to the PVO – Bingawan, Cabatuan, Dueñas, Igbaras, Janiuay, Lambunao, Miag-ao, San Dionisio, and Santa Barbara.
Iloilo province has 42 municipalities and one component city, Passi.
“Ang daku gid nga damage amo sa poultry, specifically ang mga layers ukon ang nagapangitlog nga manok,” said Dr. Darel Tabuada, veterinarian IV at the PVO.
The chickens could not eat properly due to the extreme heat thus their egg production is adversely affected, he explained.
“Once mag-lower ang egg production, affected ang income sang famers. Bisan 10 percent per day lang ang drop sa production, daku na ina nga epekto especially kon ang imo manok 1,000 ka bilog,” added Tabuada.
He encouraged the conduct of feeding at night.
“Kay kon udto ang manok sa kainit indi magkaon sang damo,” explained Tabuada.
As to livestock, the nine towns reported pigs, cows and carabaos dying due to heat stroke, hunger and thirst.
“Kulang sa hararbon. Nagniwang sila and eventually ma-down sila kag mapatay,” said Tabuada.
The PVO advised farmers to provide their farm animals with sufficient vitamins and electrolytes, and not to overexpose them to the sun.
As to agricultural produce, damage to palay production in this province since October 2018 already reached P1.3 billion covering 28,026.57 hectares and adversely affecting 27,245 farmers or 136,295 families, data from the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) showed.
PAO chief Ildefonso Toledo said damage to corn was way lower – P160,000 covering 4,502.37 hectares.
The number of corn farmers affected reached 3,735 or 18,675 families, he added./PN
