DRY SEASON. A dried rice field in San Isidro, Leyte. The Department of Agriculture reported on Tuesday (March 26, 2024) that the dry spell has affected some farms in Leyte and Samar provinces. (Photo courtesy of Care Philippines)
TACLOBAN CITY – The below-normal rainfall will not impact rice production despite reports that the dry spell has affected several farms in Leyte and Samar provinces, Department of Agriculture (DA) official said on Tuesday.
The towns of Leyte, Calubian, and San Isidro in Leyte province; Sta. Margarita in Samar; and Biliran in Biliran have reported drying of fields, said DA Eastern Visayas disaster risk reduction management focal person Ma. Luisa Capili.
“There were manifestations of dry spells in some rice areas. We have ongoing validation and monitoring of the El Niño event,” Capili said.
The official said the region is not experiencing the El Niño phenomenon since the majority of the areas still experience rainfall, but the volume is below normal.
Based on the latest report, none of the six provinces in Eastern Visayas are on the list of 41 El Niño-hit provinces this year.
The DA regional office aimed to surpass its 2023 rice production in Eastern Visayas to support other regions badly affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
Several interventions have been extended to farmers in the early part of the year to ensure a higher yield this year.
Data by the Philippine Rice Research Institute showed that the region harvested 844,372 metric tons (mt) of palay (unhusked rice) last year, slightly higher than the 840,345 mt recorded in 2022.
Eastern Visayas devoted 45 percent of its land area, or 976,415 hectares, to agriculture. The rest are forest lands, grasslands, and other purposes.
Of its agricultural lands, 70 percent are for coconut production, and rice and corn in the remaining areas. (PNA)
