BACOLOD City – Damage to agriculture caused by the dry spell in Negros Occidental is worsening, according to the provincial government.
Latest data released by the capitol on Monday morning, March 4, showed around 1,646 hectares of farmland have been affected across 11 local government units, with damages now pegged at more than P77.5 million.
A total of 1,963 farmers have so far been affected.
Kabankalan City recorded the highest worth of damage to agriculture at P41,726,761.01, followed by Cauayan town at P14,001,540.
Meanwhile, the proposed cloud seeding operation in the southern part of the province is unable to proceed yet.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he has coordinated with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6 to assess the situation in the southern part which is already severely affected by the drought.
Lacson also said the representatives from the Bureau of Soil and Water Management will arrive in the next three days.
However, the governor stated that conducting the cloud seeding operation is not feasible yet due to the lack of cloud formations in southern Negros.
He confirmed that cloud seeding is expected to be implemented in about a month since the DA is still finalizing the budget. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
