By Hilda Austria/Philippine News Agency
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) of Pangasinan said the rains brought by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Depression Falcon will be good for farmlands in the province.
During the Pangasinan in Action forum Tuesday, Provincial agriculturist Dalisay Moya said 87,000 hectares of the total 187,000 hectares of rice land target in the province were already planted for the first cropping season.
“The rain will be timely provided it will not be too much because it is much needed by the seedlings already planted for the first cropping season,” she said.
Moya said the province prepared for the El Niño phenomenon this year, as it was announced earlier by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
She said interventions were made earlier this year such as the provision of water pumps and other irrigation projects. A total of 777 water pumps were distributed to farmer groups in the province.
Moya said the provincial government continues to provide projects to the farmers even during the rainy season.
“The province is improving the communal irrigation systems, repair of water impounding structure, and improving of canal structures. We wanted to maintain our status as the rice granary of the region,” she said.
Pangasinan produced a total of 21 million sacks of rice last year.
“The Department of Agriculture is our partner in providing the needs of our farmers and fisherfolk in the province,” Moya added.
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