GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Provincial Agriculture Office of South Cotabato reported on Friday that damage caused by rat infestation in the province has reached P9 million since January until April of this year.
Provincial Integrated Pest Management Office coordinator Ronald Pacol said that there are 156 hectares of farm lands that have been infested by rodents and damaged high-value crops such as palay and corn.
He added that the damage cost will most likely increase once the consolidation of areas affected for this month will be done.
According to Pacol, the provincial government already exerted efforts to control the infestation by providing farmers of rodenticides and the campaign Buntot ni Daga, Bigas Mo Campaign.
He also disclosed that a budget of P1 million has been allocated for the procurement of more or less 526 sacks of rice to be given to the farmers through the Municipal Agriculture Office of each town.
The Bigas Mo Campaign is a method in which a farmer turns over 10 tails of rats and it will be exchanged with one kilo of rice. He said that the program will continue until there is availability of rice.