Bohol agriculture sector hit by P173.7 million El Niño losses

TAGBILARAN CITY — Bohol's agricultural sector is reeling from the effects of El Niño, with provincial authorities documenting P173.69 million in crop and livestock losses affecting 6,676 farmers across 24 of the province's 48 municipalities and cities.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist released the partial assessment following weeks of below-normal rainfall that has stressed water supplies and damaged yields across key farming regions. The drought conditions have impacted a wide range of agricultural operations, from rice paddies to vegetable farms and livestock facilities, leaving farming families scrambling to mitigate further losses.

Local government units and agricultural officials have begun coordinating relief efforts to support affected farmers and safeguard remaining productive capacity. The assessment is expected to be updated as drought conditions continue and damage surveys extend to additional barangays and municipalities.

The El Niño phenomenon typically brings drier-than-normal conditions to the Philippines during its active phases, posing significant challenges to rain-dependent agricultural operations across the archipelago. Bohol, a major agricultural producer in the Visayas region, has proven particularly vulnerable to prolonged dry spells that disrupt planting cycles and reduce harvest volumes.