Well into the wet season, several paddies in Bohol have still not been planted with rice due to the lack of rains and water supply to irrigate rice fields across towns in the province.

According to Leon Parac Jr., agricultural technician of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, paddies in far-flung areas have mostly not been planted with rice yet as these are mostly rain dependent.

In the past weeks, high temperatures have persisted and lack of rains continued, prompting officials of the Federated Irrigators Association (FIA) to ask for another round of cloud seeding.

Parac told DYRD Balita that the FIA officials had already passed a resolution to the National Irrigation Adminsitration 7 requesting the creation of artificial rains.

He said major dams in the province including Malinao Dam in Pilar, Bayongan Dam in Sang Miguel, Capayas Dam in Ubay and Talibon Dam in Talibon continue to remain low on water supply.

He also noted that Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry Pamugas has already started to coordinate with the state weather bureau PAGASA regarding the need for a cloud seeding operation.

For its part, the provincial government is also moving to implement a 40-hour cloud seeding over towns in dire need of rains.

According to Parac, the province will fund the said operation but several processes still have to be completed before the measure is approved.

The previous cloud seeding was ended last September 16. This reportedly brought rains and contributed to water supply for rice paddies but not enough to address the entire shortage. (Allen Doydora)