• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has sought assistance from the Department of Agriculture, after pest infestations, suspected to have originated from cane points purchased from Luzon by sugar farmers, hit several sugar farms in six areas of northern Negros
An infestation of red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) can reduce sugar content by almost 50 percent, according to SRA.
A task force headed by Member David Andrew Sanson was immediately created to control the infestation and seek quarantine measures from the Department of Agriculture.
Sanson appealed to farmers to “stop transporting planting materials from Luzon and other infected areas because it has been observed that the transmittal of this disease came from infected cane points.”
After receiving reports from the field in northern Negros, Sanson said that SRA sought the help of the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC) at the University of the Philippines Los Banos, which facilitated the research and found at least five insecticides that may be able to limit the infestation.
Randolph Candano of NCPC, however, said that protocol dictates that they will need to conduct a second trial in a different location to further test the efficacy of the insecticides, before they can seek an emergency-use permit from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), as “these insecticides are not yet registered for sugarcane.”
Based on their study, the insecticides Buprofezin, Dinotefuran, Phenthoate, Pymetrozine, and Thiamethoxam have shown potential in curbing the spread of the infestation, however, “this is not conclusive until we conduct a second field trial in a different location.”
SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said they will propose that the second trial be conducted in Negros, while pushing for quarantine of cane from infected areas.
In the past, Azcona recalled that the agriculture sector was able to contain the spread of cocolisap because of the effective measures set by the DA in ensuring that agricultural products would not be shipped out of Calabarzon while the infestation was active.
“We cannot afford to have an infestation, as some farmers are already starting to plant their canes for the next crop year. We made a good showing this year despite the challenges brought about by the long drought and I hope we can maintain the momentum and even exceed our targets for next year if we will all help one another in containing this infestation,” Azcona said, adding that the RSSI has been found not only to reduce yield, but will “increase production cost and can threaten the industry’s stability in general.”
Based on their assessment, Candano, said in a statement issued by SRA that the pests can spread to contiguous farms, and treating cane points with insecticides can help reduce their numbers, especially if the cane points are just piled on the fields, as RSSI has been found to thrive under the heat.
He also recommended that SRA must already inform the FPA of the ongoing trials, and while it is possible for SRA itself to seek an emergency-use permit, the normal process is for the companies that produce these insecticides to start doing their own trials and seek a permit from the FPA themselves.
Meanwhile, Sanson said that the task force will set up an Operation and Monitoring Center to document and report all RSSI and related issues around the country, and to facilitate coordination and consultation among SRA delivery units and partner agencies that are involved in the management of the RSSI.
“Supporting the task force is not optional as it is essential in ensuring the future of the sugarcane industry,” he added.*
