Damage to rice and corn crops in Negros Occidental is nearing P200 million and is expected to further increase with the drought brought on by the El Niño phenomenon in the province forecasted to last until May.
Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola in a report submitted to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Thursday, April 25, said the damage has hit P197,153, 844 affecting 5,125 farmers in 25 out of 31 towns and cities of the province.
The area covered by the damage is 3,752.94 hectares in 195 barangays.
Damage to rice crops hit P192,209,466 and corn – P4,944,377.89.
Cauayan’s crop damage remained the highest at P66,139,789, or more than one-third of the total amount provincewide.
The report does not include the damage to sugarcane in Negros Occidental.
Areas with rice crop damage are:
FIRST DISTRICT: San Carlos City – P5,832,678 and Don Salvador Benedicto – P701,525;
SECOND DISTRICT: Sagay City – P1,324,425;
THIRD DISTRICT: Murcia – P688,638.40, Talisay City – P1,115,504, EB Magalona – P2,572,460.80 and Silay City – P1,714,412.50;
FOURTH DISTRICT: Valladolid – P9,303,940, San Enrique – P5,349,982.05, Bago City – P8,233.608.34, Pulupandan – P1,578,597.60 and Pontevedra – P1,557,122.40;
FIFTH DISTRICT: Himamaylan City – P13,499,975.92, Isabela – P334,800, Binalbagan – P3,002,640, Moises Padilla – P450,897.50, Hinigaran – P1,751,055.20 and La Castellana – P3,135,780.90;
SIXTH DISTRICT: Cauayan – P66,139,789, Hinoba-an – P2,525,595.60, and Sipalay City – P1,697,533.63,
Ilog – P7,487.370.24, Kabankalan City – P41.910,361.20 and Candoni – P10,300,773.20.
Areas with corn crop damage are:
FIRST DISTRICT: Calatrava – P3,877,704.80 and Don Salvador Benedicto – P115,500;
SECOND DISTRICT: Sagay City – P48,264;
THIRD DISTRICT: Murcia – P199,384.40;
FOURTH DISTRICT: Bago City – P158,304;
FIFTH DISTRICT: Isabela – P301,864.29; and
SIXTH DISTICT: Sipalay City – P243,356.40.*