El Niño destroys P14 million palay in Negros Occidental

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines — The dry spell brought by the El Niño phenomenon  has damaged more than P14 million worth of rice crops in Negros Occidental, officials said yesterday.

The calamity has so far affected 383 farmers in  the province’s 43 barangays.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) is studying the possibility of conducting cloud seeding to induce rain.

“We have to take advantage of the  existing cloud formation,” Lacson said.

During the dry spell in previous years, Lacson said the DA provided a plane for the cloud seeding.

He said the provincial government provided manpower and materials needed for the operation.

State meteorologists said Negros Occidental would be among provinces to be hit hard by the drought from March to May this year.

The provincial government provided financial assistance amounting to P2,000 each to affected farmers.

Lacson directed Dina Gensola, chief of the provincial agriculture office, to come up with a list of farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon for easier distribution of assistance.

“Farmers whose farms are dependent on rain are the most affected by the dry spell,” Lacson said.