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BACOLOD CITY — The government has failed to stop the red-striped soft scale insects (RSSI) from spreading and these have infested 2,027 hectares of sugarcane farms, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said on Wednesday.
SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the infestation has affected more than 1,000 farmers in 82 barangay (villages) across 10 towns in Negros Occidental, one in Negros Oriental, two in Iloilo and four in Capiz.
Azcona, however, said that more than 200 hectares of sugarcane farms have already shown signs of recovery.
Last month, the SRA reported 500 hectares of sugarcane farms had been infected by the destructive insects.
Azcona observed that the spread of RSSI was fast in the first month but it has since slowed down.
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He said that the insect is not airborne but spreads through contact with human and animals.
“Sometimes, in their eagerness to inspect wilted cane, farmers unknowingly bring RSSI to other farms,” said Azcona.
“That’s what started it, but now, with greater awareness, the spread is slowing.”
He said containment remains a challenge but added that recent developments are promising.
“Early detection is really crucial. Once you notice wilting, uproot the cane and check — it’s likely you’ll find the insect there,” he said.
Azcona remained optimistic that despite the RSSI presence, the region’s sugar industry remains in good condition.
“It looks really good. Hopefully, production won’t drop,” he said.
“Hopefully, it won’t significantly impact sugar production, but I can’t say for certain.”
On Tuesday, Azcona visited farms in Kabankalan with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, who is from Bukidnon.
Azcona also said efforts are ongoing to protect sugarcane farms in Bukidnon, pointing out that it has posted the highest sugar production growth this year.
“Actually, we’ve been trying to protect Bukidnon. There is still no infection in Mindanao — not yet,” Azcona said.
“If you look at our production numbers, the biggest growth is really in Bukidnon,” he said.
He said sugar production in Mindanao increased by 100,000 metric tons, 97 percent of which came from Bukidnon.
By comparison, Negros posted a minimal increase of 200 metric tons.
“We feel that we can’t totally eliminate RSSI, but through farmer education and awareness, we’re learning to control and live with it gradually,” Azcona said.
He also confirmed requesting help from the provincial government to declare a state of emergency or urgency to speed up insecticide and pesticide procurement.
“It’s good that the governor is already on board,” he said.
“We’ve asked if they can declare a state of emergency or urgency, since funding from the Department of Agriculture is already coming into the SRA.”
The procurement process takes about three months, and a formal declaration would speed things up, the SRA chief said.
He noted strong support from the private sector, saying, “Step by step, we believe we’re making progress. Hopefully, our production next year won’t be affected.”
“In the last two weeks, we’ve seen positive developments — millers are getting involved, too,” he added.
Azcona warned that if left untreated, RSSI can reduce sugar output by up to 50 percent in severe cases.
The Department of Agriculture has allocated P10 million to the SRA for insecticide and pesticide procurement, he said.
He said the worst-hit areas in Negros Occidental so far are the cities of Bago and La Carlota.
