CITY OF MALOLOS — Central Luzon together with Regions 1, 2, 4B, 6, and 12 are expected to be the most affected by the El Niño phenomenon late this year and on the first quarter of next year, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported.

Josephine Salazar, NIA Central Luzon director and the agency officer in charge deputy administrator for engineering and operations sector said that the agency is expecting a total of 275,000 hectares of ricelands with a possible produce of 1.4 million metric tons of palay to be affected by the weather disturbance.

The agency is urging farmers to plant early for the dry cropping season using early maturing rice varieties that can be harvested in 100 days.

Salazar said that rice crop production can benefit in the implementation of drip irrigation or sprinkler system, solar irrigation projects that combine fuel and electric-driven solar pump irrigation.

She added that Congress has given a positive response on the agency’s request for additional fund for their projects that would mitigate the effects of the El Niño.