Bayawan city has declared a state of calamity due to destruction of crops, farm products, including corn and palay, as a result of the El Niño phenomenon. Heavy damage was reported on rice fields due to dried up irrigation systems , affecting more than 24,520 farmers. A rice farmer identified as Ruperto Perinal noticed a big reduction of his income since January this year. He used to harvest 130 sacks of palay per hectare in normal times, but with El Niño, he can only harvest 30 sacks of palay per hectare. Perinal said the drought had caused the farmers to abandon their rice fields. And with the very low water level, only Barangay Nangka is being supplied from the irrigation, he said. The other three rice producing barangays in Bayawan City—Maninihon, Villareal and Poblacion—have no supply of water, and that the Bayawan river is almost dried up.Bayawan City now in state of calamity due to drought
Things might start getting a bit crazy if rice can't be found in the stores. Might need to throw a sign up on the front door, "Don't bother, foreigner here, no rice to steal."
Perhaps not many of you have recently shopped for vegetables at local markets, prices of white onions, carrots, cabbage and other basics have been increasing steadily since Christmas.
What are these things you speak of? Something local? Do they taste anything like pork, chicken or beef?
