DA: Save rice in time for El Niño

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture is advising consumers to save rice early in preparation for calamities, specifically the El Niño phenomenon that is expected to hit the country at the end of the year.

For the meantime, the DA central office is also working on the possible suggested retail prices  on agricultural products in the market like rice, fish, pork and chicken.

Gerry Avila, Agriculture Marketing and Agribusiness Division chief, told The FREEMAN that saving of rice is everyone’s concern.

Avila explained that an average consumer can waste three tablespoons of cooked rice in every meal which is equivalent to 400,000 sacks of rice a year that can supposedly feed 2.9 million people.

“We encourage them nga dili mag-usik-usik sa kan-on unya mukaon sad sila ug alternative sources of carbohydrates like saging ug kamote to lessen rice consumption,” Avila said, adding that consumers should also balance the intake of meat.

DA has considered saving food production by increasing productivity in growing crops and animals that can augment the needs of individuals.

“Ang fish production natural bati ang presyo kung bati ang panahon but kung good weather lang okay ra gyud while vegetables di gyud na stable kay usahay mahal pero kung padung na gani malata or  stocks na mubarato na man,” Avila said.

Early last month, DA prepared farmers for the El Niño through an information caravan on drought mitigation in all municipalities and cities in the Cebu province.

El Niño is expected to start in late October or at end of the year.

Farmers are told to plant crops that could sustained hot weather while DA is also preparing different seedlings and chemicals the farmers can use. It is also providing a livestock breeding assistance and artificial insemination of crops.

The agency will soon distribute pipes and drums to farmers in the region before the onset of El Niño, giving priority to those who are in the far-flung areas. — (FREEMAN)