Pest infestation in Negros, West Visayas sugar farms slows down

INSPECTION Two farm technicians recently inspect a sugarcane field in Toboso, Negros Occidental, that is infested by the red-striped soft scale insects, a pest that drains canes of their sugar content. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SUGAR REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION

BACOLOD CITY—Sugarcane farmers on Negros Island and the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz in Western Visayas dealing with pest infestation will have some relief soon as the spread of the destructive red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) in their fields appeared to have slowed down, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said.

“RSSI is still spreading but last week’s monitoring showed only a slight increase compared to previous weeks,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said on Friday.

Azcona said it was possible that the spread of the disease waned because of interventions made by planters.

However, the figure could still be higher as there were sugar farmers who were not reporting the presence of RSSI in their farms, Azcona said, citing the SRA’s data based on validated ocular inspections.

RSSI infestation posed a significant threat to sugarcane productivity, potentially reducing the sugar content of infested canes by up to 50 percent, he said.

An SRA Visayas report dated July 2 said RSSI has hit 2,332.51 hectares (ha) of sugarcane fields in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Capiz and Iloilo affecting 1,326 farmers.

The SRA reported that the bulk of the infestation was in Negros Occidental where 2,281 hectares have been affected in 20 towns and cities; followed by Iloilo, with 24.75 ha; Capiz–22.9 ha; and Negros Oriental–3.5 ha.

Declining trend

The RSSI infestation increased from May 22 to May 28 by 34 percent; June 6–54 percent; June 13–62 percent; June 18–11 percent; June 25–35 percent; and dropped to 13.5 percent on July 2.

To mitigate the spread of RSSI in Negros, the SRA will conduct a specialized training for local agriculturists, representatives from affected local government units (LGUs), the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Plant Industry and other key stakeholders in Bacolod City on July 14, Azcona said.

The training aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills for early detection, prevention and monitoring of RSSI infestations, he said.

Bacolod City was selected as the first location for the training due to the confirmed presence of RSSI across 20 LGUs in Negros Occidental and one in Negros Oriental, he added.