Santo Domingo. – The Ministry of Agriculture reported that the rains caused by tropical storm Melissa have had mixed effects on national agricultural production, being favorable in some areas, but causing specific damage in communities in the south, especially in the province Peraviawhere several towns remain cut off due to the flooding of the rivers Ocoa and Nizao.
Agricultural technicians from the institution carry out a survey of the damage in the provinces Peravia, San Cristóbal and San José de Ocoaidentifying the most affected areas and coordinating support actions with local authorities.
In San José de Ocoathe community El Pinal remains isolated due to the damage caused to local roads, while in Manaclarmunicipality of Baní, a landslide keeps the area, recognized for its high productivity in coffee, poultry, pig farming and other crops, isolated.
In Saint Christopher Minor damage is reported in some plots, while in the provinces of San Juan, Barahona and Pedernales no significant losses have been recorded in farms, livestock or agricultural production.
The agronomist Eulalio RamirezVice Minister of Production and Marketing, explained that so far the rains have been moderate in most of the provinces on the southern coast, where the preventive work of the contingency plan activated by Minister Limber Cruz.
Ramírez visited high-risk areas and part of the Sabaneta damwhich is at its maximum flow, pouring water through the Virola hole at a rate of 13 millimeters per second, in addition to the 10 millimeters that are extracted by the turbines for generation and irrigation.
“So far, the accumulated waters do not represent a danger to food production, since abundant rains have only been recorded in the south; in the Cibao region and the north, the downpours have been scarce,” said Ramírez.
As part of preventive measures, regional brigades of the Ministry of Agriculture They clean berms and irrigation channels, in addition to opening main channels in agricultural areas to avoid additional damage. There was also provision for temporary cessation of land preparationdue to the saturation and humidity of the soils.
As for the rice production In the San Juan Valley, the ministry reported that the harvest is almost completed and the grain is in the process of drying in warehouses, so no losses are reported. Many producers also executed preventive work before the arrival of the atmospheric phenomenon.
