SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The adverse impact of the El Niño phenomenon on rice and corn production in the Municipality of Patnongon, located north of Antique, has resulted in damages amounting to PHP33.7 million.
Bernardita Salvador, the Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO) of Patnongon, revealed in an interview on Thursday that the damages for the entire month of January included PHP31 million worth of losses from 424.3 hectares of affected rice plantations and PHP2.7 million from 118.25 hectares of corn fields.
Salvador explained, There is no more source of water with the rivers and deep wells drying up. Crops had been damaged." She further noted that the Igpayo and Sibalom rivers, which were once reliable sources of irrigation, could no longer supply sufficient water to the farms.
In addition to the water shortage, Salvador reported receiving information on Wednesday about the presence of the rice black bug (RBB) or rice weevil pest in barangays Igbobon and Amparo.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) with the Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) personnel are now validating the report about RBB in the two barangays,” she said.
RBB, a small brown beetle known for attacking rice, especially during dry spells, has affected approximately 2.5 hectares of farmland in both Igbobon and Amparo, according to Salvador.
As part of its intervention, the local government unit (LGU) of Patnongon has allocated PHP800,000 this year to procure rice and corn seeds for distribution to farmers. The priority is given to farmers affected by El Niño, ensuring they have planting materials for the upcoming cropping season. (PNA)
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