Hot nights affecting crops

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is encouraging farmers to take steps to manage stress on crops resulting from current extreme heat and drought conditions.

Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer Francine Webb told JIS News that increased efforts must be made to boost irrigation and moisture retention in the soil where possible. She recommended mulching to aid water retention in the soil, providing shade, pest management, and watering during cool parts of the day (dawn and dusk).

The current conditions, caused by the El Niño phenomenon, are expected to persist through February 2027.