The rice tungro virus outbreak, which now affects at least 7,000 hectares of ricelands here, has taken a huge toll on the expected harvest this season, a report from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) disclosed yesterday.
According to Porfirio Reyes, of the NIA’s Magat River Integrated Irrigation System based in Cauayan City, the areas hit hardest by the infestation was the southern towns, which cover at least 3,000 hectares of ricelands, or 41 percent of ricelands affected by the virus.
Also heavily hit were the Mallig plains, with 1,711 hectares of ricelands affected, including the rice-producing towns of Roxas, Mallig, Quezon, Quirino and Burgos.
This was followed by the towns in the province’s third district like San Mateo, Aurora, San Guillermo and San Isidro, and Cauayan City, where 1,696 hectares have been affected by tungro.
The first district, which comprises the towns in the northern part of the province, including this capital town, reported 741 hectares affected by the virus.
Fears were raised that the tungro infection would have a huge effect on the national economy as Isabela provides supplies the bulk of Metro Manila’s rice requirements.
To date, the province has already lost at least 630,000 cavans of palay. In the past, Isabela farmers can harvest at least 90 cavans of palay per hectare, making it the top producer of the Filipinos’ staple food per hectare.
According to reports, at least 6,000 faming households whose livelihood depend primarily on rice farming have already been affected economically. Danilo Tumamao, provincial agriculture officer, said they are now assessing the extent of the infestation and damage.
In neighboring Nueva Vizcaya, which is also a major rice-producing province, farmers have also reported heavy tungro infestation, especially in Bayombong town.