• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the mass production of a naturally occurring fungus to help curb the destructive red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), which already affected 4,605 hectares of sugarcane farms in Visayas region as of June 11.
Directing the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to address the RSSI infestation head on, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stressed the need to accelerate its mass production as he assured additional government funding to contain the situation.
The DA has allocated P8 million for RSSI mitigation efforts.
In a statement, Laurel said the additional funds may only be used for expanding fungus production, and also for developing artificial intelligence-based tools for early pest detection and monitoring.
The order to mass produce the naturally occurring fungus comes amid growing concern over the rapid expansion of the sap-sucking pest, which can reduce the sugar content of infected sugarcane by up to 50 percent, significantly affecting farm productivity and farmers’ earnings.
“We have the technology and the capability to produce the biocontrol agent to do so,” Tiu Laurel said. “We must have enough biocontrol agents to cover at least 75,000 hectares.”
He spoke at the SRA’s 40th anniversary celebration on Tuesday, June 16.
According to the SRA, more than 30 percent of planted sugarcane areas in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental may already be infested by RSSI.
Of the affected areas, SRA reports indicated that 2,429.62 hectares of sugar farms were hit by infestation in Negros Occidental.
Negros Oriental reported infestation in 797.71 hectares; Iloilo, 197.60 hectares; Capiz, 23.03 hectares; and Ormoc in Leyte, 0.15 hectare, raising fears that the pest could spread further if not immediately controlled.
Total affected farmers were reported at 2,587.
First detected in the Philippines in 2022, RSSI has emerged as one of the most serious biological threats facing the sugar sector.
The insect weakens sugarcane by feeding on plant sap and promotes the growth of sooty mold, which reduces photosynthesis and ultimately lowers crop yields.
To combat the threat, the SRA has been leading the Inter-agency RSSI Task Force since 2025, coordinating pest control measures and educating farmers on incorporating RSSI management into standard sugarcane production practices.
Laurel also offered the use of laboratories operated by the Bureau of Plant Industry and other DA facilities to help speed up the production of biological control agents. | GPB
