Dry spell damage in Isabela reaches P700 M

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela, Philippines  – The damage caused by the ongoing dry spell in this province’s agricultural  sector has reached P704 million.

Reports said corn production in the first district incurred losses amounting to P173 million and P197 million, P184 million and P150 million in the second, third and fourth districts, respectively, as of Aug. 6. 

The typhoon that hit Northern Luzon, particularly this province, in the past few days were not enough to address the effects of the dry spell, according to corn and rice producer Berting Gorospe of Cordon town.

“The rains brought by Typhoon Hanna were not enough to supply water for our crops,” Gorospe said.

Reports said the dry spell destroyed thousands of hectares of corn farms.

Farmers expressed fear there would be no corn to harvest if the calamity continues until next month.

Isabela is the top rice and corn producer in the country in terms of output per hectare.

Meanwhile, Wilfredo Gloria, operations manager of the National Irrigation Administration–Magat River Integrated Irrigation System, said as of 9 a.m. yesterday, the water level in Magat Dam was 173.17 meters or below the normal level of 175 meters.

Magat Dam irrigates some 100,000 hectares of rice and corn farms in Isabela and parts of Cagayan and Quirino provinces.