By MAE SINGUAY
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is urging local government units (LGUs) hardly hit by red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) to declare a state of calamity, as this will help them in expediting the procurement of pesticides to help abate the infestation.
The number of LGUs affected by RSSI infestation has resulted in SRA being concerned, as it has expanded to 1,505 hectares of sugarcane in less than a month, from 87 hectares in late May.
“The bulk of which is in the heart of sugarlandia, Negros Occidental, where it has spread to 1,490 hectares and the rest in three other provinces — Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Oriental,” SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said.
“While this is still a fraction of sugarcane fields, 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 cited.
On a positive note, the SRA said 97 hectares are being monitored to have been recovering from the infestation, and that is “a good sign.”
Azcona also urged all sugar groups and farmers to report the extent of RSSI infestation in their farmlands to the SRA or through their Mill District Development Councils by providing the agency with a better picture of how to resolve the situation.
To recall, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved a P10 million allocation for pesticide purchase, but without the proper data, SRA’s hands are tied as well on how best to approach this situation and curb RSSI spread.
RSSI was first observed in Luzon in 2022, and has been contained in 2024, according to the SRA.
Azcona said he was surprised how the pests got to Negros, where 65 percent of the sugar industry is present.
He directed the DA and the Bureau of Plant Industry to disallow the entry of planting materials, whether they are for commercial or research purposes, without a certification from SRA or the DA.
SRA Deputy Administrator Atty. Ignacio Santillana said they will need a policy for emergency use to fast-track the procurement and distribution of pesticides, given the strict regulations of the Commission on Audit./MS, WDJ