THE Department of Agriculture (DA) - Negros Occidental reported that the dry spell caused by the onslaught of a mild El Niño phenomenon in the province has affected about 408.53 hectares of rice plantations, spread in the 27 barangays in the towns of Cauayan, Ilog and Pontevedra and in the cities of Cadiz and Himamaylan.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet T. Masculino said that about 603 rice farmers were rendered quite helpless with the effects of the dry spell, and the crop devastation amounted to P15.7 million.

This progress report on crop production losses for rice covered the period of January to February 2019.

He said the estimated value of damage or production losses in Cauayan was valued at P6,110,780,00; P2,218,284.96 in Ilog; P344,800 in Cadiz; P3,704, 537.90 in Himamaylan and P3,380,501.60 in Pontevedra.

The report was made following DA’s field validation last February 27 and March 12 led by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Protection Team.

DA also reported that rice farms were infested by rice black bugs, rats and bacterial leaf blight.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. said that he already requested the DA to conduct cloud seeding in the northern part of Negros Occidental where there are sugarcane plantations that badly needed rain.

He said that the request was sent last week.

He got the nod of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol when he was in Sagay City on March 8 along with President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The mild El Niño has just started and it will be damaging to various agricultural crops when this will linger until November this year.

He said that rice and corn are covered by insurance but not sugarcane plantation.