• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
With the abundance of rains in southern Negros Occidental, which was badly hit by drought in the past several months, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said it appears that there is no need for cloud seeding operations, for now.
But it still remains an option, he added.
In his talks with people in southern Negros, Lacson said they were already happy of the abundance of rain in their areas.
However, after the drought and subsequent rains, seven local government units in southern Negros have been hit by pest infestations.
Based on reports of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturists, a total of 296.4 hectares of sugarcane plantations and cornfields in Himamaylan City, Isabela, Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Ilog, Kabankalan City, and La Castellana, were damaged by armyworms, affecting 381 farmers, as of June 21.
The armyworm outbreak has been blamed on climate change.
Lacson said they are coordinating with the Sugar Regulatory Administration, as far as drone spraying is concerned, as the provincial government is now in the process of purchasing pesticides.
He also thanked the SRA for their immediate action to the call for help of sugar farmers.
About 80 hectares of sugarcane plantations in Himamaylan City were damaged by armyworms.
Basically, it is sugarcane and corn fields they are attacking, Lacson said. If it will continue and further spread to other areas, the governor said he may consider it “alarming.”
Aside from drone spraying, Lacson said they are conducting manual spraying. The provincial government of Negros Occidental has initially earmarked P500,000 for the immediate purchase of pesticides.
The total value of the damage from the pest infestations is yet to be established by the OPA.*
