• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Confederation of Sugar Producers Association (CONFED) has called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to immediately implement large-scale measures to curb the resurgence of red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestations in sugarcane farms.
CONFED President Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr. said numerous sugar farmers have reported a renewed spread of RSSI in their plantations, despite ongoing natural and biological control efforts.
“Numerous sugar farmers have reported that there has been a resurgence of RSSI infestation in their farms. They conduct natural and biological measures to combat its spread, but the infestation persists because the insects simply transfer to other adjacent untreated sugar farms,” Valderrama said in a statement.
Drawing lessons from last year’s widespread infestation in Negros and Panay, Valderrama emphasized that controlling RSSI cannot be effectively done at the individual farm level alone.
“We learned that arresting the spread of RSSI cannot be done simply by addressing it at the individual farm level, because the insects simply transfer to other untreated farms,” he said.
Valderrama urged the DA and SRA to adopt large-scale and preemptive interventions, including aerial spraying to contain the pest and prevent further damage to sugarcane plantations.
Last year, the SRA reported that about 3,700 hectares of sugarcane farms were affected by the RSSI infestation, with bulk of infestations noted in Negros Occidental.
Valderrama stressed the need for immediate action, noting that the pest spread rapidly during the previous crop year.
He warned that RSSI infestation can reduce the sugar content of cane by as much as 50 percent, posing a serious threat to farmers already grappling with rising fuel and farm input costs, as well as low millgate sugar prices.*
