El Niño affects Sugarcane Quality

As the El Niño surges, crops such as sugarcane are greatly affected.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr, a sugarcane planter, himself stated that the harvested crop now has lesser juice. Because of the El Niño we are experiencing, 50% of the sugarcane brought in sugar mills in northern Negros are burnt.

Maranon’s projection of sugar for the current crop year would be lower because of El Niño. Thus, he is hopeful that more cloud-seeding operations are to be conducted.

More Cloud-Seeding Projects

The cloud seeding operations has already started since May 1, however there was a shortage in highly seedable clouds causing minimal rains.

In addition to that, the rains covered mostly the north and central portions of Negros Occidental and seldom in Negros Oriental.

Corazon Ditarro, engineer II of Agro-Hydrology and Rain Simulation Section of DA-BSWM, assured that once they have consumed the 45-hour cloud seeding before the rainy season kicks in. There will also be a 60-hour operation funded by the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) that could be utilized.