SAMAL, Bataan — Farmers here on Monday complained of the hot weather that affected their irrigation requirements for the third palay cropping season.
“Humina at tumagal ang patubig dahil sa sobrang init ng panahon. Halos isang linggo nang umaandar ang aking water pump ay hindi pa nag-aabot patubigan ang lupa ko na dati ay nasa tatlong gabi at tatlong araw lamang ay abot na,” farmer Jeffrey Buensuceso, 37, said.
Buensuceso cultivates two hectares of land planted to palay in Sitio Parang in Barangay Ibaba, Samal, using electric-run water pump to irrigate the rice crop.
Other farmers in the area also make use of either electric-run or diesel-operated water pumps for irrigation as can be seen from many small huts located around Buensuceso’s riceland. “Humihina ang tubig dahil nagkakahigupan at ang lupa ay malakas matuyo ngayon,” he said.
The third cropping season has started. Buensuceso is preparing his rice paddies to be ready for transplanting on April 5, while some farmers have already transplanted or employed the sabog-tanim method.
“Halos dumoble ang gastos ngayon dahil sa patubig. Sana ibaba ng pamahalaan ang presyo ng abono at medyo itaas ang presyo ng palay para makabawi sa malaking gastos sa patubig,” Buensuceso appealed.
