Negros sugarcane plantations hit by drought

BACOLOD CITY – Nearly 100,000 hectares or one third of sugarcane plantations in Negros have been affected by drought.

Sugar plantations in Negros Occidental have been most affected by El Niño, according to Ma. Lourdes Almodiente, chief agriculturist at the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).

Almodiente said losses incurred by sugarcane farmers are being consolidated and would be released next week.

She said there has been ”almost no rain” in southern Negros since January while parts of northern Negros, Panay and Cebu have been experiencing rainfall.

She said drought in southern Negros “is more intense.”

Almodiente said the SRA and Department of Agriculture are planning cloud seeding operations to minimize the impact of drought.

Manolet Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation, said around 300,000 hectares of land in Negros are planted with sugarcane.

”We need to pray for the rain to come,” Lamata said, noting that damage to affected plantations may reach billions of pesos.

Cotabato continues to sizzle

Meanwhile, Cotabato City has continued to sizzle as the temperature reached 37 degrees Celsius, one of the highest recorded in the country so far this year.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the high temperature was recorded at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The heat index in Cotabato City reached 43 degrees on the same day.

A heat index of 42 to 51 degrees may cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion, with heat stroke probable with continued exposure.

In Bacolod, Mayor Alfredo Benitez suspended classes in all levels in public and private schools yesterday due to the high heat index.

Extreme heat was also experienced in La Carlota City in Negros Occidental, Mambusao and Roxas City in Capiz, Iloilo City and Dumangas town in Iloilo province.