Bukidnon ramps up fight against sugarcane pest

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — The provincial government of Bukidnon, in coordination with national agencies, cooperatives, private companies, and local government units, has intensified efforts to prevent the spread of the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) following infestations in parts of the province.During an emergency meeting on Tuesday, stakeholders, led by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Bukidnon Chapter president and Quezon Mayor Pablo Lorenzo III, agreed to strengthen monitoring and reporting systems to ensure prompt action against the pest.

READ: Visayas sugar farm insect infestation prompts emergency meetingThe Department of Agriculture–Regional Crop Protection Center (DA-RCPC 10) confirmed the presence of RSSI in sugarcane farms in the towns of Kitaotao and Quezon, and in Valencia City.Around 53 hectares have already been infested by the highly destructive pest, data from the Bukidnon provincial government showed.Farmers were urged to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspected RSSI infestations to the relevant authorities for assessment and intervention.The meeting comes amid growing concern in the country’s sugar industry.

READ: Pest ravages sugarcane farms in the VisayasLuis Pablo Azcona, Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) administrator, said the RSSI outbreak could result in economic losses of up to P17 billion if left unchecked.

Recent data showed that more than 13,700 hectares of sugarcane farms in the Negros Island Region have been validated as infested, prompting officials to consider declaring a state of calamity to access emergency resources.To combat the infestation, the government and industry partners have allocated at least P206 million for control and mitigation measures, including funds from the SRA and the Sugarcane Industry Development Act./coa

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