Over 840 hectares of Negros sugarcane fields hit by pests
The red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) infestation on Negros Island continues to spread, impacting many other sugarcane plantations, according to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
Data from the SRA showed that the pest disease has affected 841.70 hectares of sugarcane farms in Negros Occidental and neighboring areas as of June 6.
This was almost 10 times higher than the 87.04 hectares recorded by the agency on May 22.
About 465 farmers are affected by the RSSI spread, most of them based in Bago City, Murcia, Silay City and Manapla in Negros Occidental.
Last week, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced it had released P10 billion for pesticide procurement to boost pest containment efforts.
Transport restriction
On top of the DA initiative, the SRA said it is also planning to issue a board resolution requiring industry stakeholders to first seek its permission before transporting any planting materials for research facilities and commercial purposes.
It added that it will coordinate with the Bureau of Plant Industry to enforce the proposed policy.
“So whoever, whatever irresponsibly brought plants into Negros carrying RSSI, it’s okay. We don’t want to fingerpoint, but we need to find a solution,” SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said during a public consultation held Monday.
“However, [Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.] has told me that we should implement controls from this day forward, moving into the future with or without a disease, with or without a pest. This cannot happen again,” he added.
The SRA previously said that the infestation may have originated from planting materials transported from Luzon.
The RSSI, scientifically known as Pulvinaria tenuivalvata, is usually found on the lower surfaces of the middle leaf portion of sugarcane, according to the National Crop Protection Center of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.
The SRA said it was first observed in Luzon in 2022 although the spread was contained by the DA and SRA last year after chemical pesticides were used in affected areas. Although researchers at the SRA have identified a parasite to help control the infestation, they said it would take time to eliminate the pest disease.
The RSSI is believed to slash sugar production by as much as 50 percent, the SRA noted, citing studies.
