ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Office of the City Agriculturist is keeping a close watch on crops for possible infestation and damage from pests and diseases due to the weak El Niño.
City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez on Friday said that a dry spell followed by rainy seasons often brings about infestation and diseases that can affect crop production and yields.
Sanchez said that on the watchlist of her office are pests such as corn borer, wide-stem and dark-headed stem borer which target rice, black bug, and armyworms.
She said that diseases such as rice “tungro” virus and bacterial leaf blight are also on their watchlist.
“These pests and diseases target corn and rice,” she added.
Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar urged the Office of the City Agriculture to closely monitor the situation to prevent infestation of this city’s crops.
Meanwhile, the office of Sanchez has reported a total of PHP9.8 million crop and fishery damage from the weak El Niño as of last week. A total of 8,177 farmers and fisherfolk have been affected by the weak El Niño.
Of this number, Sanchez said that 634 farmers were able to plant but incurred crop damage, while 7,543 were not able to plant.
Salazar said the local government has already provided assistance worth PHP32 million to the agricultural sector, particularly the provision of rice for farmers and the delivery of farm inputs and seeds.
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