Farmers in Barangay Bantayan, Mangaldan, Pangasinan took advantage of Wednesday’s hot weather to dry their newly harvested palay before #UwanPH could damage their crops.

Rodel Laguardia, one of the farmers in the area, said they were working quickly to save their harvest.

“Hinahabol namin kasi may bagyong parating, para hindi masira,” he said.

The farmers said their current batch of palay was freshly harvested after delays caused by previous typhoons in September. Around 100 sacks of palay still needed drying, which they feared might be affected again by the next weather disturbance.

According to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), about 20 percent of palay fields in Luzon remain unharvested.

SINAG Chairperson Engr. Rosendo So explained that not all farmers could harvest immediately because of the timing of their crops.

“Hindi talaga pwedeng basta-basta i-harvest ngayon. ‘Yung magpu-fall siguro ng third to fourth week of November. ‘Yung mga iba kasi baka pwedeng mag-early harvest,” he said.

So also advised farmers who plan to harvest soon to coordinate with rice-drying facilities to protect their yield from the effects of the approaching storm.

“Mas maganda, ‘yung mga magha-harvest, unahin na nila na kausapin ‘yung may drier na facility para at least maani na ‘yung mga stocks nila,” he added.

Farmers continue to race against time to secure their harvests as Luzon braces for another round of heavy rains and strong winds.