Agri office blames climate change for rat infestations of Ormoc rice fields

ORMOC CITY , Philippines  – The city agriculture office in this city has blamed climate change as one of the major causes of rice pests infestations in the city’s agricultural lands.

Crop Division OIC Dante Albarico of the City Agricultural Services Office reasoned out in his damage report that rats and army worms have infested the rice fields in large numbers because farmers suddenly changed their planting season patterns to adopt to the changing weather conditions

As of February 15, rats affected a total of 130.5 hectares in barangays Catmon, Cadaohan, Maticaa, Nasunugan, Valencia and Guintigui-an, and sitio Bugho, where four hectares had almost zero harvest.

“Actually naa na ‘ta sa epekto sa climate change. Ang mga ilaga kalit lang motunga sa humayan ug daghan pa gyud kini sila. Dili parehas kaniadto nga ginagmay lang ang moatake,” Albarico said in an interview with The Freeman. 

Other pests infesting Ormoc rice fields are black and rice bugs, steam borers and leap hoppers, which CASO did not consider however as more serious than rats and army worms.

Albarico said that, as advised by Mayor Eric Codilla, his office is now encouraging farmers to adopt fully applied cultural management farming methods and to use pesticides.

Ormoc has 6,300 hectares allotted for rice farming, of which 1,500 hectares are rain-fed areas, he said.