BACOLOD City – The prolonged dry spell brought by El Niño has dealt a blow to Negros Occidental’s rice sector, with the province experiencing a sharp 11.97% drop in palay production for 2024.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the total production for the year was recorded at 427,871.60 metric tons (MT), a stark contrast to the 486,053.60 MT harvested in 2023, marking a reduction of 58,182 MT.
The impact of El Niño was felt across both irrigated and rain-fed rice fields. Irrigated palay production saw a decrease of 6.07%, from 340,199 MT in 2023 to 319,542 MT in 2024.
More significantly, rain-fed palay production plummeted by 27.73%, falling from 145,854.60 MT in 2023 to just 108,329.60 MT this year.
The decline in production is mirrored by a reduction in the area harvested, which dropped by 9.49% in 2024, from 128,628 hectares to 116,418.15 hectares. The irrigation-dependent areas saw a smaller reduction of 2.91%, while rain-fed areas faced a more substantial decline of 22.49%, from 43,223 hectares in 2023 to just 33,500.50 hectares in 2024.
Despite the drop in output, Negros Occidental remains a leading player in the region, contributing 23% to the total palay production in Western Visayas.
The provincial government, recognizing the struggles of affected farmers, provided P10 million in cash assistance last year, benefiting 5,000 farmers.
Additionally, in June 2024, the provincial government secured another PHP89.28 million in aid for 8,929 beneficiaries through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families program.
“Both in irrigated and rainfed palay, the decrease was noted due to the effects of El Niño throughout the province,” the PSA report stated. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
