GUIMBA, Nueva Ecija — Despite the pandemic, farmer-leaders of the 14 irrigators groups supervised by the National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems Interim Division 6 here have their respective planting budgets intact and ready for the next year’s dry season cropping.
This was bared by Dr. Jose Ariel G. Domingo, UPRIIS Division 6 chief, as he said that amid the financial crunch these farmers are experiencing due to the COVID-19 health crisis, they still expressed their preparedness to perform their primary task of producing rice going into the next dry season cropping.
“Reading-ready na sila, may puhunan o pera na silang nakagayak para sa kanilang sakahin for the dry season,” Domingo said in a phone interview yesterday.
Domingo issued the statement after his office held a management meeting with the farmer-leaders last Saturday wherein they discussed the various programs and strategies that can guide and help them achieve their rice production goals for 2021.
“Pinag-usapan din namin ang kanilang planting patterns na gagawin ayon na din sa schedule ng pag-ri-release ng tubig ng ating Pantabangan Dam na magsisimula sa Dec. 16,” said Dr. Domingo.
Earlier, the Interim Division 6, also conducted clearing operations of all irrigation waterways as part of regular maintenance works of the agency.
For the dry season cropping, Domingo said there is a total target area to be irrigated of 13,697.88 hectares — with Cuyapo, 4,945.80 hectares, Guimba, 5,067.97, Nampicuan, 1,298.01, and Talugtug, 2,386.10.
The interim division 6 office operates a total service area covering 20,996 hectares that are being maintained by 11,405 farmers in the said four towns.
