Three cities in Negros Occidental reported damage to rice areas worth P6.3 million from Storm “Basyang.” Records from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist indicate that the cities of San Carlos, Cadiz and Bago reported 615.25 hectares of 541 farmers were affected during the two days the storm hit Negros. Bago, which has the biggest rice area in Negros Occidental, incurred the highest damage at P4,254,900 covering 411.40 has. of 338 farmers. Last month, the city also incurred the highest crop damage at P14,229,144, covering a total of 583.55 has, and affecting 337 farmers during Storm Agaton. Basyang also damaged rice areas in San Carlos with estimated losses of P1,890,300 covering 176.25 has, while Cadiz City had P174,032 covering 27.60 has. Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said other local government units have yet to submit reports of damage in their areas. The rice submerged in floodwaters cannot be recovered because most of it was already maturing, Masculino said. They are now verifying if the affected farmers had crop insurance under the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program or in the Philippine Crop Insurance Program, he added. Since January, OPA has recorded P27.7 million in rice damage from flooding in Negros, but Masculino assured its effect on the province rice sufficiency is “minimal.” He said that in 2017, Negros’ rice sufficiency was about 94 to 96 percent. Masculino said farmers should brace for the more rains and flooding because of the La Niña episode forecast this year. Source - https://news.mb.com.ph