ILOILO CITY, April 9 (PNA)- With the sun’s scorching fury showing no signs of abating, Department of Agriculture Region 6 executive director Larry Nacionales has exhorted farmers to grow maize and banana as good substitutes for rice this summer as they can thrive on little water, unlike rice which is water-intensive.
Although rice stocks this year are sufficient,Nacionales said farmers would have to find ways to augment their income during this period.
He said cultivating white corn, a drought-resistant crop is a good alternative given the fact that rice harvest is still a long way off. The agriculture agency here is dispensing free white corn seeds to farmers through its research centers scattered in the region.
Mayor Mariano Malones of Maasin, Iloilo has allayed fears of tight water supply in the ensuing weeks following reports that wells in his town are drying up.
Malones said such is a normal occurrence during the summer months when water in the river starts to recede. But trees around the Maasin water shed, the main water purveyor to city dwellers are in satisfactory condition which meansthat ground water is still adequate.
But the coming of Tropical Depression Domeng could be the answer for the water lack, Malones said. (PNA)
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