By CESAR JOLITO III

The Negros Occidental provincial government deployed its mobile sprayer yesterday to intensify efforts against the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation affecting sugarcane plantations across the province.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said the deployment will facilitate the application of Metarhizium, a biological control agent used to combat the destructive pest, provided weather conditions remain favorable.

“We pray for favorable weather, no rain, so we can spray Metarhizium,” Diaz said in a statement.

The initial spraying will prioritize farms owned by agrarian reform beneficiaries and farmers who have complied with monitoring requirements by submitting forms and reporting through the provincial biosecurity task force’s designated Facebook and Messenger accounts.

Diaz said the operation marks a significant milestone in the province’s coordinated response, noting that it comes 15 days after the issuance of Executive Order No. 26-12 which strengthened the provincial biosecurity task force for agriculture.

He said the provincial government, together with its stakeholders, is rolling out actual assistance and science-based interventions to help contain the spread of RSSI and mitigate its impact on the sugar industry.

The provincial administrator also expressed optimism for the success of the campaign and called for continued support for the provincial biosecurity task force and the province’s farmers as Negros Occidental steps up its efforts to protect one of its key agricultural industries./CCJ, WDJ