The effect of the El Niño phenomenon on rice and corn crops in Antique will not affect the food sufficiency of the province since it is mild and negligible, according to the Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA).

OPA chief Nicolasito Calawag said eight municipalities, the majority in the southern part of Antique, initially reported damage in rice crops covering 1,762.57 hectares with losses estimated at PHP92.9 million as of Feb. 8, 2024.

Calawag said the damages could not affect food sufficiency since the area planted with standing rice crops reached 3,249.3 hectares.

“There is still intermittent rain in the northern towns of Antique where we could have harvest rice and corn,” he said.

“Farmers in municipalities where there’s still water are also using quick turnaround rice varieties, so rice is harvested in a shorter time,” Calawag said.

Those reported damage included Hamtic, Anini-y, Tobias Fornier, San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, San Remigio, Patnongon, and Valderrama.

For corn, the municipalities of Barbaza, Hamtic, Patnongon, Valderrama, San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, and San Remigio reported that 327.855 of the total 403.8 hectares of standing crops are affected, with losses estimated at PHP15.7 million.

Calawag said farmers who could not plant rice due to the lack of water resorted to planting vegetables and other drought-resilient crops that could caution against the impact of El Niño.

“Some farmers have also opted to rest their farmlands by not planting any crop during the El Niño,” he said.

He said that DA is also providing farmers with seeds for replanting.

Meanwhile, Calawag said they already contained rice black bug (RBB) infestation in Patnongon and Valderrama.

“The infestation covered only around two hectares of the rice land in Patnongon and Valderrama,” he said.

He said the immediate application of biocontrol agents following the fast detection by the Barangay Peste Brigade of the two municipalities in coordination with agricultural technicians from the Regional Field Office 6 (Western Visayas) of the Department of Agriculture helped curb the spread.

Calawag also urged other farmers to immediately coordinate with their respective Barangay Peste Brigade and Municipal Agriculture Officers if they are suspicious of infestation for immediate application of control measures. (PNA)