QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News) — Farmers in Negros Occidental hit by the dry spell associated with El Niño are set to receive rice seeds from the Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region (DA-NIR).
Joyce Wendam, officer-in-charge executive director of DA-NIR, said the seeds were being purchased by the DA from seed growers through the Negros Occidental Accredited Seed Producers Cooperative (NOASEPCO).
The total amount is almost Php 17.6 million.
A total of 3,838 bags of certified seeds will be distributed for the first tranche intended for rice farmers whose farms were damaged by El Niño from October to December last year.
The rest, which is about more than 8,000 bags, will be delivered in the succeeding tranches.
In Negros Occidental, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) had earlier reported total El Niño damage and losses to rice sector worth Php 251.39 million.
