In Antique, dry spell destroys rice, corn worth P33.7M

ILOILO CITY—At least P33.7 million worth of rice and corn crops were destroyed in Patnongon town of Antique province due to a prolonged dry spell brought on by the El Niño phenomenon.

Municipal agriculture officer Bernardita Salvador said at least P31 million of palay planted in 424.3 hectares of rice fields had been badly affected by the drought last month while damage to corn reached P2.7 million from 118.25 ha of corn plantations.

Salvador stressed that the drought caused severe water shortage as the once-reliable Igpayo and Sibalom Rivers, which were crucial for irrigation, had dried up.

The absence of water damaged the crops, compounding the challenges faced by local farmers.

There were also reports about the presence of the rice black bug (RBB) or rice weevil pest in Barangays Igbobon and Amparo.

The small brown beetle, known for its hard outer shell, particularly targets rice crops during dry spells.

READ: El Niño’s grip: Pagasa forecasts dry spell in Metro Manila, 35 provinces in December

About 2.5 ha of farmland in the two barangays were suspected to be affected by the RBB, an insect that extracts plant sap through the stems and nodes located close to the water surface.

To address the crisis, the local government of Patnongon allocated P800,000 to procure rice and corn seeds to be distributed to farmers, prioritizing those affected by El Niño, ensuring they have the necessary planting materials for the next cropping season. —RUCHELLE DENICE DEMAISIP INQ