El Niño hits 11 barangays in province

The El Niño phenomenon has already affected 11 barangays in three local government units of Negros Occidental, Dr. Dina Genzola, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), reported.

As of January 26, a total of 117.22 hectares of rice lands and 143 farmers were already affected in the province.

Total damage reached P7,079,836.

The worst hit is Himamaylan City with eight barangays and 75 rice farmers affected.

A total of 59.22 hectares of rice lands were affected in the city or a damage of P2,414,586.

Two barangays in Cauayan town were affected, two rice farmers and 52 hectares and crop damage worth P4,105,000.

One barangay in Isabela was affected with six hectares, one farmer and damages worth P560,250.

Genzola said the affected rice lands are either in vegetative stage or harvestable stage.

She cited the state of the land that has already cracked causing the rice to die.

“When we received the reports, we immediately sent agriculture extension workers to validate and compute the value of the damages,” she pointed out.

Genzola said she hopes the affected farmers have crop insurance as the OPA is coordinating with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation and the provincial government has also allocated a budget for its own crop insurance program.

Most of the affected rice farms are considered “rain fed” and located in upland areas, she said.* (EYA)