Thursday, February 08, 2007
Crop programming saved farms from frost losses: agriculturist
THE PRACTICE of crop programming spared Benguet farms from incurring huge losses caused by frost.
Provincial Agriculturist Lolita Bentres said crop growers, who have delayed and scheduled their planting earlier, have been saved from the damages of frost (ice crystals) that affected at least three municipalities.
"The frost damage in the province is minimal, and among the reasons is the practice of crop programming," Bentres said.
Most of the crops affected by the weather phenomenon were either in their early vegetative or in their harvesting stage, according to the provincial agriculturist.
Crop programming, or the adjustment of the time of planting, is the most doable mitigating measure to save farmers from losses due to frost, said Bentres.
Frost is usually experienced in highly elevated towns of Benguet like Atok, Kibungan and Buguias.
These towns reported frost occurrences in their respective areas on January 31. Frost occurs from the months of December to February, when the temperature goes very low.
Crop programming was devised, not only to save farmers from frost damages, but this is also among the strategies being pushed to regulate the volume of crops delivered to the trading post to stabilize their prices.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (Opag) earlier said there was no major injury incurred by farmers at the height of the frost phenomenon, based on the ocular inspection it conducted last Friday.
This report was supported by the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office which also sent personnel to assess the frost damages.
Agriculturist Lito Mocati, in his report, said the frost injuries were not that severe compared to the past years.
Cabbage acquired only five to 10 percent damage on newly-transplanted, vegetative and harvestable or matured plants planted to an area of 10 hectares. Potato, with an estimated production of 160 metric tons, has a 90-95 percent chance of recovery, according to the DA report. (JC)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod. (February 7, 2007 issue)
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