Negros island: The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is urging local government units (LGUs) across Negros Island to validate the extent of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation, emphasizing the need for additional manpower to assess the outbreak's scope.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mikko Libo-on, an Agriculturist II at the SRA, highlighted that the agency's limited staff has slowed the validation process, raising concerns that the actual affected area might be larger than currently confirmed. Libo-on noted that SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona has appealed to LGUs to mobilize municipal and city agriculturists to support field validation efforts.
Data from the SRA indicates that 16,970 hectares of sugarcane plantations in Negros Oriental are affected by the sap-sucking pest, out of the province's total of 48,901.43 hectares planted with sugarcane. However, only 1,974.63 hectares have been validated so far, impacting 688 farmers across 77 barangays.
Mabinay is among the most affected areas, with 4,788 hectares of sugarcane plantations impacted, affecting 389 farmers across 20 barangays. The RSSI infestation has been reported in 15 of Negros Oriental's 25 LGUs, including several cities and municipalities.
Earlier discussions between Azcona, other SRA officials, and Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria sought support for declaring a state of emergency, a move that would allow the use of calamity funds to contain the infestation. The SRA is advocating for a unified, island-wide response to combat the spread of the RSSI across Negros Island's sugarcane plantations.
