Farmers told to plant fast growing crops

LAOAG CITY, Sept. 3, 2015 (PIA) – – Ilocos Norte farmers were asked to plant fast growing vegetable crops to recover their losses from Typhoon Ineng that hit the province last week.

Provincial Agriculturist Norma Lagmay recommended Thursday the planting of kangkong, mongo and green corn in the farmlands affected by the disaster.

“Try to grow kangkong, which can be harvested 15 days after its planting and other short term growing crops like mongo and the drought- resistant green corn,” she said.

However, Lagmay advised the farmers to subject their farmlands to soil testing to identify the appropriate varieties of plants to grow.

She also told the farmers to consider the abrupt changing climate in deciding when to plant a crop.

Meanwhile, she disclosed that the estimated cost of agricultural crop damages in the province had reached Php145 million.
Said said that at least 88 hectares of rice under its fruiting stage were totally destroyed, aside from the silted farmlands caused by the collapsed Sabo Dam located in between the towns of Piddig, Solsona, Dingras and Marcos.

“I already submitted the rehabilitation plan to the office of the governor for endorsement to the national government particularly to the Department of Agriculture,” she said.

After Ineng, she said they are preparing programs anticipating the effect of El Niño phenomenon which may start in the last quarter of the year. (Freddie G. Lazaro,PIA)