LINGAYEN -The rats are coming, and keep coming.

The town of San Nicolas became the latest target of the infesting rats, invading some 89.5 hectares of lowland irrigated rice area in barangay San Roque in this town.

Dalisay Moya, assistant provincial agriculturist based here, said that three sitios in the said barangay, namely, Alola, Tanggal Imus and Ubbog, were invaded by huge rodents.

The fields of Manaoag town, suffering from lack of water supply, were earlier reported by PUNCH as the first town that suffered rat infestation.

In San Nicolas, Moya said the affected palays are already in stages of flowering to booting and heading.

The rat infestation is expected to result in about two to five percent estimated palay yield loss.

Moya said based on their analysis, the farmers’ irrigation canal in the affected areas has no water, making it an ideal place for the rats’ habitat.

She pointed out that the failure of the farmers to clean their dry dikes attracted the field rats to stay and multiply. 

But even as she sounded the alarm, she maintained that the situation is under control and the

Offices of the Provincial and Municipal Agriculturists and the Department of Agriculture are on the alert to help contain the situation. – EVA
 

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