Tacurong rat for cash drive nets 5,800 tails

Edwin O. Fernandez

TACURONG CITY (June 3) – The campaign against rat infestation here have gained ground with 5,800 rat tails presented to and paid for by the city agriculture office.

As of June 2, the city agriculture office has paid P68,000 for 5,800 tails collected by farmers in a bid to get rid the rice fields of rodents, according to City Agriculturist Ivan Gerry G. Arzagon.

Each rat tail costs P8.

To prevent rice production losses and help ensure continuous income for rice farmers here, the city government has launched in March a rat for cash campaign.

Farmers here have been called to help fight rodents that destroy agricultural crops and bring risk of water borne disease leptospirosis especially with the onset of rainy season.

To make it a reality, the city government launched a program where farmers hunt irritating rats in their rice fields and sell its tails to the local government under the program “Cash for Rats” of the city agriculture office.

According to Arzagon, the program aims to encourage farmers to catch rodents and surrender the tails to the city agriculture office.

The rats for cash initiative is open to all farmers except for senior citizens and minors due to existing COVID-19 health protocols.

“It was an alternative solution of his office against the prevalence of rodents in the rice fields instead of using chemicals to eliminate pests,” Arzagon said.

These substances adversely affect both humans, plants and the environment.

Arzagon said the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has shelled out P1.8 million as cash assistance to farmers whose crops are vulnerable to rats and other natural calamities.

“They have been have been paid under the “Bayad Danyos” program of the PCIC,” Arzagon said.