BACOLOD. A portion of a farm in Cauayan town damaged by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon. (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)
BACOLOD. A portion of a farm in Cauayan town damaged by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon. (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)

El Niño, pest damage to NegOcc agro-fishery snowballs to P473M

THE damage brought by the prevailing effects of El Niño phenomenon and pest infestation to the agro-fishery industry of Negros Occidental has surged to about P473 million.

Latest report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) showed that production losses in the province’s rice, corn, high value commercial crops (HVCC) and fishery sectors already surged to almost P104 million.

The figure comprises almost P79.5 million worth of damage in rice.

It covers 2,815 affected farmers with 2,411.20-hectare farms situated in 132 barangays of 20 local government units (LGUs).

Incurring the biggest losses is Salvador Benedicto with almost P9.8 million. It is followed by Himamaylan City and Murcia with P8.7 million and P8.2 million, respectively.

OPA noted about P8.1 million worth of rice production losses in Calatrava, P7.1 million in Binalbagan, P6.1 million in Cauayan, almost P5.2 in Hinoba-an, about P3.9 million in Bago City, P3.7 million in San Carlos City, almost P3.4 million in Pontevedra, and P2.4 million in Cadiz City.

Other affected LGUs are Hinigaran with P2.2 million losses; Ilog - P2.2 million; E.B. Magalona - P1.8 million; Toboso - P1.3 million; Talisay City - almost P1.2 million; Sipalay City - P1.1 million; San Enrique - P858,675; Silay City - P826,600; and La Castellana - P826,019.

The province’s corn sector incurred P10 million in production losses. This accounts for 171 affected farmers in Sipalay City, San Carlos City and Calatrava with a total of 177-hectare farms.

For HVCC, the initial damage is pegged at about P1.5 million covering 302 farmers with 37.76 hectares in San Carlos City.

About P11 million worth of production losses was reported in Pontevedra and Cauayan due to pest and diseases like rats, rice black bugs and leaf blight.

The province’s fishery sector, meanwhile, incurred a total losses amounting to P952,892.

The figure comprises the damage in bangus and tilapia production plus fishing vessel in Bago City and E.B. Magalona.

The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) earlier reported that the dry spell damage to sugarcane sector of Negros Occidental is already pegged at about P366 million.

The figure covers affected area of 42,424.86 hectares.

The estimated yield loss is 114,773 tons, equivalent to 223,807.91 50-kilogram bags of sugar and 3,787.51 metric tons of molasses.

In terms of value, the SRA reported a damage worth P324.5 million in sugar and almost P41.7 million in molasses.

Also, the Provincial Veterinary Office reported that El Niño damage to the province’s livestock and poultry industry increased to about P3 million.

Amid the prevailing effects of mild El Niño, the Municipal Governments of Murcia and Isabela already declared state of calamity in their respective localities.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said ongoing field validation is being conducted by Provincial Crop Protection Team and affected LGUs.

Other actions taken included information dissemination among field agriculturists regarding El Niño and dry spell occurrence.

Masculino said they have recommended for continuous field monitoring, fallow period during dry spell, and planting of short-term crops where water supply is not sufficient.

“Farmers were also advised to contact their agriculture offices to report damaged crops and avail insurance claims,” he said, adding that the cloud seeding operation is still on procurement process.

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