By JEN BAYLON
The United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (Unifed) encourages sugarcane farmers to harvest their crops early amid looming challenges to sugar production brought by Kanlaon Volcano’s explosive eruption.
Unifed President Manuel Lamata, in a statement, said Kanlaon’s volcanic activity has been posing significant threats to sugar production since last year.
Lamata believes that if planters do not act swiftly, they could face severe losses since the eruption has already caused damage to sugarcane fields near Kanlaon.
He said volcanic ash can have detrimental effects on crops, potentially leading to reduced yields and quality.
Despite the continuing volcanic activity at Kanlaon, the mill gate price of sugar has rebounded to P2,800 per 50-kilo bag, offering a glimmer of hope for sugar planters in Negros Occidental.
The price increase is seen as a positive sign for the local sugar industry, which plays a major role in the province’s economy.
Lamata has also called upon the Sugar Regulatory Administration to extend support to farmers affected by the volcanic activity.
He believes that assistance is crucial for those who may struggle with both crop damage and financial instability amid the unrest.
Earlier, the Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) allowed sugarcane farmers to harvest their crops inside Kanlaon’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone.
OCD-NIR Regional Director Donato Sermeno III said they allowed residents to enter the danger zone as carbon emissions from Kanlaon have gone down, citing an advisory from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
He said the “window time” for harvesting crops is from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. only.
Sermeno said the La Castellana municipal government also requested OCD-NIR to allow farmers to harvest their crops over the weekend.
“We are now trying to improve the system. We are focusing on ensuring that the farmers are safe in case Kanlaon erupts again,” Sermeno said.
Task Force Kanlaon, through the Regional Incident Management Team, supervised the harvesting activities of sugarcane farmers inside the danger zone at Barangay Mansalanao in Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town.
The supervised farming activities in the danger zone are aimed “at balancing the safety of evacuees with the need to sustain their livelihood, particularly during the harvest season,” the OCD said.
Sermeno said other local government units near Kanlaon, such as La Carlota City and Bago City, can also request the Task Force Kanlaon for a suspension of the ban on human activities within the volcano’s danger zone.
However, Sermeno said he has no figures on how many farmers benefitted from the window time.
Earlier, the Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist reported that, as of January 13, the eruption caused damage to agriculture worth P129,758,168.52.
The eruption affected three local government units in the province, encompassing 22 barangays and 1,382 farmers./JB, WDJ