No cloud seeding yet to avoid disrupting dry cropping season — official
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities said on Thursday that it will not yet implement cloud seeding to induce rain to mitigate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
According to El Niño Task Force spokesperson Joey Villarama, this is so as not to disrupt local planting and harvesting schedules.
“Dry cropping season po is from September to March so may inaani po tayo actually na pananim na palay so ayaw natin ma-intervene doon sa pag-aani, kasi siyempre ‘pag cloud seeding, mababasa po ‘yong aanihing palay, ‘yong palay kailangang i-dry para maprocess,” Villarama said in a press conference with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
READ: PAF conducts successful cloud seeding over parts of N. Luzon
(The dry cropping season is from September to March so currently, there is rice being harvested and we don’t want to intervene with that, because cloud seeding will make the rice to be harvested become wet, and it needs to be dry to be processed.)
On February 27, the Philippine Air Force conducted a cloud seeding operation in various provinces in Northern Luzon to curb the effects of the dry phenomenon.
Article continues after this advertisement“Pero as an intervention, hindi po siya ‘yung primary kasi nag-aani pa po ‘yung mga magsasaka para sa dry cropping season,” Villarama added.
Article continues after this advertisement(It’s not the primary method of intervention because farmers are still harvesting for the dry cropping season.)
READ: El Niño feared stifling PH agri output in 2024
The official added that agencies are still considering cloud seeding to provide more water supplies for agricultural needs.
“Pero having said that po, ‘yong cloud seeding po is being considered din po as a measure to augment ‘yung water supply particularly sa pagtatanim,” he added.
(But having said that, cloud seeding is being considered as a measure to augment the water supply, particularly for planting.)
