Drought destroys 400-M crops in North Cotabato

COTABATO CITY (PNA) – The dry spell has already destroyed more than 400 million worth of agricultural crops in North Cotabato even as the provincial government and the Department of Agriculture launched Wednesday cloud seeding operations.

Engr. Eliseo Mangliwan, North Cotabato provincial agriculture officer, said, as of February 16, the total cost of damages to palay and corn crops in North Cotabato’s 17 towns and Kidapawan City have reached 402 million.

”The amount of damages could even go higher when reports of damages to other crops like banana, mango and cacao would have been submitted to my office,” Mangliwan said.

Mangliwan said about 23,300 farmers have been affected by the dry spell which started to hit North Cotabato, a highly agricultural province and known rice and corn producer in Central Mindanao, in November last year.

The North Cotabato’s Sangguniang Panglalawigan has placed the entire province under state of calamity last January to allow the provincial government to use its calamity fund to cushion the impact of dry spell.

Citing record from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Mangliwan said about 27,558 hectares have been damaged and crops destroyed due to extreme heat include palay, corn, oil palm, coconut, rubber, cacao and coffee.

Severely affected municipalities are Makilala, Matalam, Tulunan, Carmen, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap, Pikit and Tulunan.

“The reported damages does not include crops destroyed by rat infes- tation which also runs to millions,” Mangliwan said.

He feared more farmers will be affected by the peculiar weather disturbance with the rainy season yet to come in May or June.

The provincial agriculture official said DA-12 Regional Director Amalia Jayag- Datukan has approved the conduct of cloud seeding operations in North Cotabato starting today.

At least 15 sorties of rain-inducing operations will be conducted starting today.