COTABATO CITY -- The dry spell caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon has damaged some PHP130-million worth of rice and corn crops in Maguindanao to date, the provincial agriculture office reported Thursday.
Vic Giabel, Maguindanao agriculture officer, said the dry spell has also affected 29 of 36 towns in the province, with three towns declaring their areas under a state of calamity.
“Town officials of Pagalungan, Talitay, and Datu Montawal have placed their areas under a state of calamity,” Giabel said.
Giabel said they are continuously assessing the number of hectares of farmlands hit by the dry spell pending the arrival of reports from municipal agriculture offices.
“At the same time, we are yet to assess the total number of farmers affected in the various municipalities,” he said, adding that current assessment placed some 8, 500 farmers declaring losses to crop harvests.
He identified several of the affected towns as Buldon, Barira, Matanog, Upi, Talayan, Datu Salibo, Salipada K. Pendatun, Datu Hoffer, Sultan Mastura, Sultan Kudarat, Paglat, Datu Paglas, and Pandag.
“Towns situated in both first and second congressional districts of the province are affected by the dry spell,” the agriculture official stressed.
Giabel said his office is planning to recommend the conduct of cloud seeding operations across the province to ease the effect of the prevailing hot weather on affected farming communities.
In North Cotabato province, agriculture officials also declared total damage of PHP477 million in rice and corn crops.
At least four North Cotabato towns -- M’lang, Aleosan, Alamada, and Pikit -- have declared a state of calamity for the local government units to utilize their respective calamity funds to aid farmers in cushioning the impact of the dry spell. (PNA)
