Areas affected by the drought in Negros Occidental have further expanded to 1,669.71 hectares of rice and corn lands, with damage pegged at P77,702,833.31, as reported by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist.
The OPA report further stated that 1,995 farmers in 76 barangays in 11 local government units of Negros Occidental were affected by the drought which is blamed on the El Niño phenomenon.
Of the total damaged area, rice lands remained the hardest hit with P77,544,9882.01, while damage to corn remained at P157,852.80
Kabankalan City continues to be the hardest hit LGU in the province, with damage valued at P41,726,761.20 where 13 barangays and 1,214 farmers in 978.98 hectares are affected.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that two engineers from the Agriculture Department’s Bureau of Soil and Water Management are now in Negros Occidental to scan areas, in connection with the request of the provincial government to conduct cloud seeding operations in the affected areas.
“Their initial report said the potential clouds for seeding are only present in northern Negros like Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Escalante City, San Carlos City and Cadiz City,” Lacson said.
Unfortunately for southern Negros, which is the area hardest hit by the drought, has clear skies, he added, noting also places that are dependent on rain are hardest hit by the drought.
(Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy by TVDS)
