Agriculture Office closely monitoring rat infestation in Iloilo

PIA Press Release, Friday, July 29, 2011

Agriculture Office closely monitoring rat infestation in Iloilo

by Lilibeth A. French

ILOILO CITY, July 29, (PIA) -- The Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office is not lowering its guard against rat infestation in the province even though damage to rice crop has not reached an alarming level.

“As of July 28, some 1,287 hectares have been affected by the rat infestation but these have not reached the alarming stage," said Iloilo Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo, in an interview over Bombo Radyo. He said that an alarming level would be when damage to total palay area os 127,000 more than one percent damage of total palay area of 127,000 hectares is considered

Toledo said the Provincial Agriculture Office will continue to address the problem in coordination with the Regional Crop Protection Center of the Department of Agriculture 6 and the barangays and the local government units.

The RCPC has been helping the Provincial Agriculture Office in the information dissemination campaign on the control and prevention of rat infestation and in giving rodenticides or rat poisons.

To date, according to Toledo rat infestation has already affected some 17 municipalities and Passi City. These towns are Barotac Viejo, San Miguel, Pavia, Mina, San Enrique, San Joaquin, Ajuy, Zarraga, Cabatuan, San Dionisio,Barotac Nuevo, Sta. Barbara, Tigbauan, Concepcion, Leganes, Oton, and Alimodian.

Toledo urged farmers to continue giving information on the infestation so that this will be acted upon. (JCM/LAF/PIA-Iloilo)

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