El Niño’s Impact on Luzon’s Agriculture: Watermelons and Rice Suffer

The El Niño phenomenon has brought severe hot weather to Luzon, adversely affecting agricultural production, particularly watermelons and rice. In Mangaldan, Pangasinan, farmers are facing challenges with watermelon cultivation, with reports of the fruits developing thicker skins and diminished sweetness due to the scorching heat. The scarcity of water has also led to smaller watermelons, prompting a decrease in market prices to P15 to P23 per kilo.

The situation is equally dire in the Mountain Province, where the famed Maligcong Rice Terraces are showing signs of distress. Cracks have appeared in the parched earth, and residents are relying on “ub-ubfo” or community sharing of water to sustain the rice fields. This cooperative effort reflects the traditional bayanihan spirit but underscores the critical water shortage impacting the region’s agriculture.

The Department of Agriculture reported that the damage and financial losses in the agriculture sector due to El Niño have surpassed P2 billion as of early April. The ongoing hot weather spells significant challenges for farmers in Luzon, affecting both the quality and quantity of agricultural produce. Authorities are exploring potential measures to assist the impacted farmers, reflecting the urgent need for solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of this climatic event on the region’s agriculture.