March 26, 2015
Sugaronline | http://goo.gl/kbsXnR
Sugar Regulatory Administrator Ma. Regina Martin said that 40%-50% of the standing sugarcane to be milled next crop year in Negros are the most affected by the dry spell hitting the province, and badly need rain, according to the Philippines' Visayan Daily Star.
"If rains will fall, these affected canes may still recover, so we pray for this," she said.
The millable standing canes affected by the dry spell are 20 to 30%, she said.
"We are closely monitoring the extent of damage," Martin said.
Martin, who contacted the Bureau of Soils and Water Management for cloud-seeding assistance to induce rain, said she was informed that their team "is now in Negros already finalizing their assessment of the severity of the effects of the drought on the crops as earlier requested by (Negros Occidental) Gov. Alfredo Marañon".
They have requested the Air Force to facilitate the cloud seeding after Holy Week, Martin said.
Marañon said he requested Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for cloud-seeding assistance so his department will help foot the bill since it has plenty of money.
The provincial government will provide a counterpart fund, the amount of which has yet to be determined, he said.
He said cloud-seeding is expensive and sometimes the clouds induced to cause rain are blown away by the wind, causing it fall on the sea, instead on farm lands.
Cloud-seeding is the process of spreading either dry ice, or more commonly, silver iodide aerosols, into the upper part of clouds to try to stimulate the precipitation process and form rain.