The effect of “El Niño” phenomenon to the agricultural industry in La Union is taking its toll.
This was the assessment of Provincial Agriculturist Avelino Lomboy who stressed that it has already destroyed hectares of rice and corn farms in the towns of Bangar, Balaoan and portions of southern La Union that get its water supply from Masalip Dam, located in the vicinity of Agoo and Aringay towns.
Lomboy ruled out the possibility of conducting cloud-seeding operations in these areas to induce rains because it might also bring bad effects on tobacco-planted areas.
“We recently paid a visit to farms near the Amburayan River, plants there have no more solution because the sprouts coming out are no longer there, so we have given up,” Lomboy confirmed, “No rainfall for the next two weeks, damages to palay and corn plantations are unimaginable.”
Lomboy, however added, that in irrigated areas, they have concentrated on vegetable-cropping to augment the affected farmers’ livelihood because vegetables do not need as much water as rice or corn.
“In La Union, we have 4, 700 hectares of vegetable production at present,” he added.
Ricefarms in Amburayan River System, which according to him has receding water level, has a shortfall of 1, 500 hectares planted.
“Out of those areas planted, 20 percent is expected to be damaged,” Lomboy said, “The flow of water in Masalip is slowing although those who have luckily planted beforehand are about to harvest.”
Last year, water pumps were distributed in each town but Lomboy said, but it was not enough. “Shallow Tube Wells are needed,” he suggested.
A corn farmer, said that lack of water also affected the quality of his harvest. Hundreds of corncobs are either disfigured or has underdeveloped or missing kernels.
“During the last plantation, I earned P 49, 000 during the harvests but now, it’s good if I can harvest P10, 000 worth,” he lamented. He uses water pump from a deep well but afraid to turn it continuously or in full that water supply may run out.
He also complained that middlemen make more life difficult for them as their harvest fetches only P9 to P10 from P12.00 last year. Middlemen then profit more by selling it higher in the markets.
In fisheries, fish ponds are also affected due to hot weather. Fish kill report, however is still zero at present. “If water level is low, there is a tendency that there would be lack of oxygen and water temperature becomes hotter that would kill fishes,” he explained. He added that he expects fish kill to occur anytime unless rain fell.
Red tide occurrence is also being watched.
As a contingency measure, Lomboy urged farmers to shift to vegetable-cropping in areas which has still enough water supplies. |
