• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The infestation of red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) in sugarcane farms, both in Negros and Panay, has further expanded to 1,505 hectares as of June 18 as the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is exerting its best effort to stop its spread.
The infestation has been reported in 23 local government units, with 17 in Negros Occidental alone, affecting 744 farmers in the two islands, in less than a month, according to the SRA report.
Of the RSSI affected areas, a total of 1,490 hectares are in Negros Occidental.
However, a total of 97.78 hectares of sugarcane farms are recovering from the infestation of RSSI also with the help of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The pest can reduce the sugar content of sugarcane by almost 50 percent, the SRA warned, citing a study conducted by the University of the Philippines.
While the infested farms are only a fraction of the entire sugarcane fields, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona admitted that “the rapid spread is worrisome”.
“I believe that the real data can even be bigger as there are farms that have started their own remedy without reporting the matter to SRA,” Azcona said.
The extent of the recovering areas, now with 16 farmers involved, are higher compared to the initial 17.61 hectares, planted by five farmers, reported in northern Negros the other week.
These included sugarcane farms in E.B. Magalona, 38.62 hectares; Bago City, 22.52 hectares; Victorias City, 21.29 hectares; Manapla, 8.25 hectares; and Silay City, 3 hectares, all in Negros Occidental; Mabinay, Negros Oriental, 2.5 hectares; and Sigma, Capiz, 1.6 hectares.
Azcona urged the sugar groups and farmers to report the extent of the infestation to the SRA or through their mill district development councils for “a better picture on how to resolve the situation”.
He also urged local government units, especially in highly infested areas, to declare a state of calamity as this will help the SRA in expediting procurement of pesticides that can be immediately distributed to help abate the infestation.
The DA has already approved a P10-million allocation for pesticide purchase.
“Without the proper data, our hands are tied as well on how best to approach this situation and curb the spread of the RSSI,” Azcona said. | GB
