By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay/Philippine News Agency
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Damage on palay due to the El Niño phenomenon has reached PHP15.042 million as of April 1, according to the Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
OPA chief Nicolasito Calawag said the dry spell has affected 733.59 hectares of irrigated palay (rice) farms in the six municipalities of the province. The crop is now in their maturity and reproductive stages.
“We received reports of damage from the towns of Culasi, Patnongon, Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, Sebaste, and Valderrama,” Calawag said in an interview on Monday.
However, despite the reported damage, no town has declared a state of calamity.
“We have informed early the farmers, such that they were able to change crops,” he said.
As early as October last year, the OPA advised the farmers in Antique to plant alternative crops that would not require much water.
“Many farmers planted mongo, peanut, vegetable and watermelon in lieu of palay that is why the El Niño phenomenon has not seriously affected us,” Calawag said.
During a meeting with Municipal Agriculture Officers (MAOs) of the 18 towns on April 3, the OPA also came up with recommendations to alleviate drought impacts.
Aside from planting early maturing and drought tolerant rice varieties and other alternative crops that consume less water, the MAOs have been advised to promote modified technologies to enhance local farmers’ participation in organic farming.
“The creation of Municipality El Niño /Drought Monitoring Team is also being recommended among the local government units for we still continuously expect additional report of damage from farmers,” Calawag said.
Meanwhile, Calawag also requested MAOs to submit a damage report on high value crops due to forest and grassfire caused by the El Niño phenomenon for them to be replenished.
Calawag described as alarming the reported occurrence of forest and grass fires caused by the intense heat in Antique.
The Bureau of Fire Protection Antique provincial office reported five forest fire and one grass fire incidents in the towns of Valderrama, Bugasong, and San Remigio in January this year.
In February, five forest fires and six grass fires occurred in Belison, Patnongon, San Remigio, Tobias Fornier, Anini-y and Valderrama while two forest fires were recorded in Libertad and Pandan last month.
The BFP reminded the public to refrain from engaging in slash and burn farming that could also be the cause of the forest and grass fire incidents.
