Iloilo rice production good despite pests, El Niño–PAO
Rice production in Iloilo is still good despite the infestations of plant hoppers or “waya-waya” and the long drought, Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo said in a radio interview.
Toledo said the “waya-waya” that hit farmlands in the last few weeks were already contained as its life cycle of 42 days had ended.
“We are lucky that during the infestations, the “waya-waya” were in their mid life cycle of only about 22 days and hit only the rice fields in their vegetative stage, especially those in Lemery and San Rafael,” Toledo said.
Toledo also said the experience has taught the province some lessons on prevention of similar infestations.
Meanwhile, he said the province had missed its regular first cropping in May and started late in July and August because of the El Niño but this will not affect rice sufficiency.
“For September, although it is still being validated, I think we will surpass the 3.5 metric ton-production per hectare provincial target,” Toledo said.
He added the focus of farmers on planting of hybrid rice, which was the PAO’s advocacy, is also contributing to the good performance of rice production in the province that can upset the adverse effects of pests and droughts.
As of now, Toledo said hybrid rice production is seen to yield from seven to nine metric tons per hectare, which will sustain sufficiency until the late second cropping to be harvested early next year.
According to Department of Agriculture 6, farmers Patricia Arceta and Mario Puga of Lapayon, Leganes shared during the Farmers’ Field Day that with the more than seven and eight metric tons of hybrid rice they produced respectively, they earned about P44,000 and P54,000 each per hectare.*PIA6
