FIFTY-nine rice farmers in San Enrique town lost a total of P1.3 million in production due to the recent heavy rains and flooding brought by Southwest Monsoon or “habagat” that affected some localities in Negros Occidental.
Initial report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed that from September 3 to 5, a total of 95.76 hectares of rice farms from three barangays in the municipality were affected.
Most of the affected crops from an aggregate farm area of 92 hectares are in vegetative and reproductive stages, it added.
Last month, OPA also reported P5.4 million worth of damage brought by “habagat” to the agriculture sector of the province.
From period of July 31 to August 16, it noted that 287 farmers in 12 barangays of Hinigaran town were affected by the weather disturbance.
In terms of area, the total amount of production losses accounts for almost 290-hectare farms of rice, corn, and high-value commercial crops (HVCC) in the southern Negros Occidental locality.
Last July, monsoon rains enhanced by Tropical Depression “Henry” also left an almost P3.3 million worth of crop damage and production losses.
The figure covers 519 affected rice and corn farmers covering an area of almost 518 hectares in 25 barangays of eight local government units (LGUs).
On August 14, OPA also reported crop production losses worth almost P8.4 million due to rat infestations that affected 507 farmers from combined areas of 703.66 hectares of rice farms in four LGUs.
The pest attack affected four barangays in San Enrique, 11 barangays in Valladolid, three barangays in Bago City; and four more barangays in Cadiz City.
OPA has been urging local farmers to insure their crops by enrolling in Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program (NFUCIP), which is in partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).
Unlike the previous years, the Provincial Government now shoulders the full enrollment premium per cropping season of P840.
Aside from the P17,000 claims per hectare of damaged farms, enrolled farmers can are also entitled to P50,000 premium worth of life insurance.