SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique — Heavy rains induced by the southwest monsoon and Tropical Depression Josie have damaged 1,050 hectares of farmlands planted with rice for the first cropping period, affecting 1,684 farmers.
Ramona dela Vega, rice coordinator at the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, said in an interview on Thursday that 12 of the 18 towns in the province reported damages in their palay, which were mostly in vegetative stage.
“There are also other rice crops that are right now in the seeding, reproductive and maturing stages,” she said.
The 12 towns with reported damages due to the heavy rains from July 17 to 26 are Hamtic, Anini-y, Barbaza, San Remigio, Caluya, Belison, Laua-an, Sebaste, Bugasong, Sibalom, Tibiao and Culasi.
Total losses based on the cost of production were estimated at PHP6,319,919.
Dela Vega said they will be submitting this report to the Department of Agriculture 6 (Western Visayas) for validation and for qualified farmers to avail of assistance hopefully next week.
“The DA right now has a buffer stock of 1,119 sacks of seeds in its warehouse in Padang, Patnongon town, which is really being reserved for assistance to farmers in times of disaster,” she said.
Dela Vega noted that farmers with totally damaged crops will be given priority in the assistance. If there are still available stocks, then farmers with partially damaged crops can also avail of the assistance.
Some 341 hectares were reportedly destroyed while 709 hectares were partially affected. (Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/PNA)
