DA: Negros high risk to lose P5.5M in poultry damage

DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas director Larry Nacionales said Friday the dry spell brought about by the El Niño phenomenon places Negros Occidental at a high risk level projecting to lose P4 million native chicken and fighting cocks and P1.5 million broilers produced every month in the province.

The Provincial Veterinary Office reported that losses to hogs, livestock and poultry in 21 towns and cities have reached P3.04 million as of March 4.

"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.

Nacionales said the province is the first in the region to conduct its poultry inventory, with more than 6.5 million heads: more than 1.2 million heads of broiler; more than 500,000 heads (layer) and more than 4.7 million heads of native chicken and game fowls.

At present, the broiler industry is producing 1.5 million birds per month which is estimated to value more or less P1.8 billion a year and the layer industry is valued at P0.5 billion, said Nacionales. The game fowl industry on the other hand is estimated to value more or less P4 billion.

In terms of crop damage, Nacionales said that the effect of the dry spell in the province is lesser compared to some other provinces in the region.

DA assessment and data records all over Western Visayas confirmed that about 11,000 hectares of rice plantation were totally damaged. This translates to around 72,000 metric tons rice which is worth P688,000, said Nacionales. Most of the affected plantations are in Iloilo covering some 127,000 hectares.

Nacionales said that Negros Occidental is not much affected by the dry spell as it has many rivers and irrigation systems. The province has six major rivers strategically scattered across the island-- Danao River, Himoga-an River, Malogo River, Bago River, Binalbagan River, and Ilog River that flow from Mt. Silay, Mt. Mandalagan and Mt. Kanlaon.

Meanwhile, Nacionales explained that a state of calamity can only be declared by a local government unit (LGU) if there is at least 40 percent damage to the total area of crops.

Likewise, a report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, as of March 4, showed that six LGUs have set to declare a state of calamity.

Murcia town had already declared a state of calamity on Feb. 23. It already has a crop damage of P1.29 million in rain fed rice and P176,555 in corn.

Other LGUS that set to declare a state of calamity are Hinoba-an, Sipalay City, Kabankalan City, Isabela, La Castellana—all in southern Negros, and Don Salvador Benedicto, in northern Negros.

OPA reported that Kabankalan posted losses of P162,000 (corn); Sipalay -- P429,910 (corn) and P139, 725 (rice); Isabela -- P420,000 (corn); Hinobaan -- P870,815 (corn) and P3.9 million (rice); and La Castellana -- P144,00 (corn). No data was available for Don Salvador Benedicto yet.

”In Negros, I think the damage of El Niño has not reached that level yet,” said Nacionales, who was here for the first general assembly of Negros Occidental Poultry Raisers Association.

Nacionales, however, added that it is up to the respective local Disaster Coordinating Councils to justify the declaration of a state of calamity in their locality.

Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan said OPA has advised farmers in areas suffering from dry spell to shift to crops that need less water or those that can be harvested in a short time.

He said OPA will also use the P1million assistance from the DA to fund more cloud seeding operations.

OPA has conducted 55 sorties since Feb. 1 and has induced rains this week in the mountainous areas of Murcia and La Carlota City in central Negros, in San Carlos City, Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto and Cadiz City in northern Negros, and in some areas in southern Negros.