The drought-spawned El Niño phenomenon has destroyed over PHP2.5 million worth of crops in farming villages here, an official said Friday.

“We are taking swift action to lessen the burden currently experienced by our affected farmers,” Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista said in a statement.

Data from the Office of the City Agriculturist (OCA) showed that some PHP2.58 million worth of crops were damaged from March 1-31, affecting 29 hectares of agricultural lands planted with rice, corn, vegetables, and other high-value crops.

OCA also tallied 170 affected farmers from eight severely affected villages, including Macebolig, Kalaisan, Poblacion Sudapin, Linangkob, Amazon, Binoligan, and Sikitan.

In response, Evangelista ordered the OCA and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) to conduct interventions to cushion the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

Immediately, the two offices imposed water rationing and mounted water pumps for irrigation to include other water sources in watering crops, especially crops under the reproductive stage in the affected villages.

For its part, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation also acted immediately by conducting intensive monitoring and assessment to initiate joint interventions, particularly the distribution of seeds resistant to heat and drought and possible monetary assistance.

Despite this, Evangelista said prices of harvested crops remained fair and stable in the local market.

“We tapped all concerned agencies to submit data and suitable interventions to take this crisis more collectively through a preemptive approach,” the mayor said. (PNA)

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