• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will establish a series of coconut scale insect (CSI) or cocolisap quarantine checkpoints in Barangay San Miguel, La Carlota City starting next week.
The checkpoints will be set up in compliance with Executive Order 23-36 of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, PCA Negros Occidental acting division chief Jean Alisna said in her letter to Mayor Rex Jalando-on dated Dec. 2.
“The primary objective of this checkpoint is to regulate and monitor the movement of agricultural products, particularly coconuts and other known host plants, in order to prevent the further spread of this destructive pest,” Alisna said, adding this is also part of ongoing efforts to protect and preserve the coconut industry and other vital agricultural resources from the spread of cocolisap infestations.
Cocolisap poses a significant threat to the coconut industry, the city said in a post Dec. 3, adding the pest “spreads easily through air, infects coconut leaves, and fruit, and can also affect other plants, like avocado, mango, breadfruit, guava, and papaya.”
Infestations lead to symptoms, such as yellowing and premature leaf loss, which can eventually cause stunting, non-bearing, and death of coconut trees, the city added as it echoed the call of PCA for full cooperation and support from all stakeholders on this crucial initiative.
“Through this proactive step, we aim to protect the coconut industry, secure the livelihood of our farmers, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector and the income it generates for our communities,” Alisna said.
Lacson’s EO, issued August last year, establishes emergency measures to control and manage the spread and damage of cocolisap in the province, and designates the PCA as lead agency.
It noted verified reports of scale insect infestation in the province, including in the cities of La Carlota and Bago, and the towns of La Castellana and Murcia, hence the need to “put in place immediate and comprehensive measures to effectively control, manage, and eventually eradicate the scale insect infestation”.
The EO said the infestation poses a very serious threat to the coconut industry and to the livelihood of those who depend on it, adding that Negros Occidental has more than five million coconut trees, with about 14,000 coconut farmers and kin dependent on this industry. | CGC
