According to a report by the Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, between November 2018 and last month, rice black bugs, rats, and bacterial leaf blight contributed to P11,544,350.40 in rice crop losses.

Rice black bugs, which infested crops in La Castellana last March, kills plants by sucking out sap through the stem and typically strikes irrigated areas. Meanwhile, bacterial leaf blight refers to a bacteria that causes crops to wilt and dry out.

The report noted Pontevedra suffered the majority of losses due to bugs, totaling over P9.6 million and affecting seven barangays.

The municipality also reported over P1.6 million in losses due to rats, impacting five barangays.

In terms of bacterial leaf blight, such cases were reported in Cauayan, which has resulted in nearly P780,000 in losses.

Last year, aside from La Castellana, rice black bugs and grain bugs were responsible for crop losses in Himamaylan City, Pontevedra, and La Carlota City./WDJ