Bureau of Plant Industry Lacks Policy to Halt Sugarcane Pest

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said its hands are tied in stopping the spread of the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI), which has alarmingly infested sugarcane farms in Negros Island, due to the absence of a clear national policy.

According to the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), BPI recently tried to halt the transport of sugarcane planting materials from Escalante, Negros Occidental to Panay Island but could not prevent the shipment because there is no existing regulation to support such action.

The SRA’s research arm said that, based on local studies and international literature, RSSI causes significant damage to sugarcane crops, with high temperatures accelerating its population growth.

SRA Deputy Administrator Atty. Ignacio Santillana said prevention is crucial and urged farms not yet affected to begin spraying as a precaution.

He also thanked BPI and the Department of Agriculture (DA) for offering to begin pesticide spraying in identified areas this week, aiming to show early progress ahead of a public forum and farmer orientation on Monday, June 9.

In the absence of a second study that could guide a long-term protocol, the SRA recommends that farmers refrain from buying cane points from infested areas and soak planting materials in pesticide before use.

The SRA’s research team is also exploring the use of natural predators to control RSSI, hoping that biological solutions can reduce dependency on chemical pesticides, which would otherwise raise production costs for farmers.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the agency has sent a request for PHP10 million in assistance to the DA, which was positively received by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel.

Azcona has also instructed the agency to evaluate the use of drones for pesticide application, noting their potential to efficiently cover wide areas and reach the underside of sugarcane leaves, where RSSI colonies thrive.

He said drone spraying could cover at least 50 hectares per day, and the SRA is ready to partner with private operators if the method proves viable.

Earlier, the SRA declared the RSSI outbreak in sugarlandia “alarming” and began seeking emergency powers and the support of other government agencies to contain its spread across Negros Island, which produces more than 60 percent of the country’s sugar.

RSSI was first detected in late March in northern Negros Occidental and was officially declared an infestation on May 22, when it had spread to over 87 hectares.

By May 26, the affected area had reached 191 hectares, and by May 28, it expanded to 255 hectares.

Recent SRA data dated May 30 showed a sharp increase, with infestation areas nearly doubling to 424.82 hectares within two days.

This prompted the SRA to appeal for urgent assistance from the DA, the provincial government of Negros Occidental, affected local government units, and BPI for the implementation of quarantine and control measures.