If the intense heat brought on by the El Niño phenomenon continues to damage crops, a state of calamity could be declared in Cauayan town in Negros Occidental, Mayor John Rey Tabujara said on Friday, February 16.
The dry spell has so far damaged mostly rainfed rice crops in 14 of 25 barangays in Cauayan, Tabujara said.
The dry spell has affected 126 hectares of crops belonging to 127 farmers in Cauayan, he said.
Some sugarcane crops and water for irrigation have also been affected, he added.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist placed the damage to rice crops in Cauayan at P7.6 million so far. *