Damage to rice and corn crops in Negros Occidental has reached P87,477,548 but no cloudseeding over the province has been recommended, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, March 18.
Lacson said a still unsigned report of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management team recommends against cloud seeding as it could damage the produce of 20,000 mango trees in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, and 5,000 trees in Guimaras.
The report submitted to him is still unofficial as it has yet to be signed, Lacson said.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, in a report submitted to the governor, said the drought damage to rice has hit P87,034, 807 and to corn – P442,740 as of March 13.
This has affected 2,220 farmers tilling crops in 1,952 hectares located in 99 barangays in 15 of 31 local government units in Negros Occidental, the OPA reported.
The following is the rice crop damage in the 15 LGUs;
*Kabankalan City – P41,910,361
*Cauayan – P14,001,540
*Ilog – P7,487,370
*Bago City – P7,174,621
*Himamaylan City – P3,732,556.
*Valladolid – P3,442,846
*Hinoba-an – P2,525,595
*Hinigaran – P1,751,055
*Sipalay City – P1,697,533
*San Enrique – P1,182,568
*Murcia – P688,638
*Binalbagan – P513,360
*Moises Padilla – P450,897
*Isabela – P334,800
*Salvador Benedicto -P141,062
Corn damage in Sipalay City was at P243,356 and Murcia – P199,384.*