DA Eastern Visayas keeps one million MT rice yield target amid drought

TACLOBAN CITY, April 15 (PNA) -– The Department of Agriculture (DA) is keeping the one million metric tons production target for Eastern Visayas this year despite adverse impacts of El Niño phenomenon.

DA regional technical director for research and regulation Elvira Torres said hitting the target is realistic since they expect rains starting next month.

“Based on forecast from Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), there will be rains between May to August,” Torres told PNA.

The official said that the peak of dry season has been experienced by the region between March and April as rainfall was categorized as way below normal.

El Niño has plagued 8,973 hectares of rice farms in Eastern Visayas since late last year.

The prolonged dry season wreak havoc on the livelihood of 8,948 rice farmers in Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar provinces. Output loss is valued at PHP64.77 million.

The impact of El Niño is only mild since those farmers who planted early were able to harvest rice before the peak of dry season.

DA regional information officer Francis Rosaroso said the impact of drought in the region is only minimal considering the abundant water resources in rural communities.

“Based on aerial inspection, most of the vegetation in the region is still green unlike in other parts of the country,” he said.

Rosaroso urged farmers to step up their water management practices to maintain moisture in soils.

Among the recommendations are declogging of canals to improve water flow, intermittent irrigation scheme to save water, prioritize water supply to very dry areas, reduce tillage during land preparation to conserve moisture, and direct seeding.

The farm department has intensified the promotion of rice varieties resistant to adverse weather conditions. One of this is the Green Super Rice variety, which is being piloted in selected areas in the region.

The Green Super Rice is a mix of more than 250 different potential rice varieties and hybrids variously adapted to difficult growing conditions such as drought and low inputs, including no pesticide and less fertilizer, and with rapid establishment rates to out-compete weeds.

The region has about 159,000 hectares of farms devoted to rice cultivation with an annual average yield of more than 900,000 metric tons.

Eastern Visayas is an agricultural area with 45 percent or 976,415 ha of its total land area is devoted to agriculture. (PNA)

JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO