Ecija palay harvest down by 40 percent

SAN JOSE, Nueva Ecija – A month since typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel,” their toll on rice production in Nueva Ecija, dubbed as the country’s rice granary, is now showing.

Nueva Ecija provincial agriculturist Serafin Santos reported Nov.r 1 that the province’s recent palay harvest comprised only 60 percent of what was initially expected.

“The rice crops were hit by the calamity at their vulnerable stages,” he said.

City and municipal agriculturists estimated that Nueva Ecija lost 300,923.35 metric tons in expected harvest, amounting to P3.63 billion at P12 per kilo.

Records of the provincial agriculture office showed that palay was planted in 188,000 hectares this cropping season, but only palay in about 3,000 hectares had been harvested before the typhoons struck.

Guimba lost P495.1 million when its 14,737 hectares of palay suffered 70 percent damage. Other badly hit towns were San Antonio with 6,758 hectares, sustaining losses worth P259.5 million, and Zaragoza, with 4,015 hectares, losing P154.2 million worth of palay.

The National Food Authority in Central Luzon has urged local farmers to sell even their damaged rice seeds to the agency.

NFA assistant regional director Gerry Imperial said though no farmer has come forward. The NFA has been authorized to buy 280,000 bags of damaged rice seeds worth P99 million.

Pedring’s total damage on agriculture in Central Luzon alone was estimated at P8.5 billion.