El Nino Affects Antique’s Rice Crops Worth Php41-M

The province of Antique has incurred total losses on its rice crops amounting to Php41,275,615 due to the El Nino phenomenon.

This is based on the damage assessment report for rice by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist headed by Nick Calawag, Feb. 1, 2016.

The Php41,275,615 amount of losses is based on the farm gate price of the rice crops that are on reproductive and flowering stages in the rainfed/upland areas of San Remigio, Valderrama, Belison towns.

Aside from these losses, the towns of Patnongon, Tobias Fornier, and Hamtic also reported damage to crops that are either yet on the vegetative and booting stages.

The losses computed based on the cost of input reached Php16,676,023, including those from San Remigio and Belison that are also on the vegetative stage.

Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train and PAO chief Nick Calawag will submit a contingency plan to Gov. Rhodora Cadiao so that assistance could be provided to the affected farmers.

Calawag earlier said some 3,000 sacks of certified seeds from the Department of Agriculture will be distributed. Some have actually been given to farmers for replanting.(PNA) FPV/AJP/LPT/PJN