By JEN BAYLON
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is intensifying efforts to contain the infestation of red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) that has been reported in six sugarcane-producing local government units in northern Negros Occidental.
RSSI threatens to reduce sugar content by nearly 50 percent, potentially impacting the sugar industry and farmers’ livelihoods in the province.
In response to the RSSI infestation, the SRA has swiftly formed a dedicated task force led by SRA Board Member David Andrew Sanson.
The group is working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to implement quarantine measures aimed at preventing the spread of the infestation.
To coordinate nationwide efforts, the task force will establish an Operation and Monitoring Center to document RSSI cases and facilitate communication among SRA units and partner agencies involved in pest management.
“Supporting the task force is not optional. It is essential to secure the future of the sugarcane industry,” Sanson stressed.
To combat the infestation, the SRA sought assistance from the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
Researchers there have identified five insecticides — buprofezin, dinotefuran, phenthoate, pymetrozine, and thiamethoxam — that show potential in controlling the pest.
NCPC university researcher Randolph Candano recommended treating these materials with insecticides to reduce infestation levels.
Candano also advised that the SRA notify the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) about ongoing trials and encouraged insecticide manufacturers to conduct their own studies to expedite regulatory approval.
However, he emphasized that additional field trials in different locations are necessary to confirm their effectiveness before emergency-use permits can be requested from FPA, as these chemicals are not yet registered for use on sugarcane.
Candano added that RSSI thrives in heat and can easily spread to neighboring farms, particularly when infected cane points are left piled in fields.
Meanwhile, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona urged farmers to exercise caution when sourcing cane planting materials, noting that the infestation is suspected to have originated from Luzon, where RSSI outbreaks have previously occurred and persist in some farms.
Sanson echoed this warning, appealing to farmers to cease transporting planting materials from Luzon and other infected areas, as these have been identified as the primary vectors for the pest’s transmission.
Azcona highlighted the importance of quarantine efforts, recalling how the DA successfully contained a previous pest outbreak of cocolisap by restricting agricultural shipments from affected areas.
“We cannot afford to have an infestation now, especially as farmers are already preparing for the next crop year,” Azcona said.
“The RSSI not only reduces yield but also increases production costs and threatens the overall stability of the sugar industry,” he added.
RSSI, a newly emerging pest in sugarcane, was first observed in Bacolor, Pampanga, in June 2022.
As the SRA and its partners intensify monitoring and control measures, farmers and stakeholders are urged to cooperate fully to prevent the spread of this damaging pest and safeguard the region’s sugar production./JB, WDJ