Iloilo eyes quarantine as sugar pest hits 7,021 hectares

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Iloilo provincial government is considering containment measures to prevent the further spread of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) after initial data from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) showed the pest has infested 7,021 hectares of sugarcane plantations across 24 local government units in the province.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the province is studying strategies similar to those used during African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks, including quarantine and movement restrictions.

“We are yet to have a meeting with the sector. What we can do is provide strategies. It may be similar to ASF, with quarantine and border control measures,” Defensor said during a press conference on July 22.

Provincial Agriculturist Geron Magbanua said the Provincial Agriculture Office is validating the extent of the infestation before meeting with the SRA, the Department of Agriculture (DA), sugar mills, and farmers’ groups to determine the appropriate response.

While the assessment is ongoing, Magbanua said the province is considering deploying biological control agents available through the DA.

Magbanua said the province is also weighing restrictions on the movement of sugarcane planting materials out of affected areas.

Biological control uses naturally occurring organisms to suppress pest populations as an alternative to chemical pesticides.

According to the Provincial Agriculture Office, RSSI spreads primarily through infested planting materials.

The pest can also be carried over short distances by wind, animals, farm equipment, and human activity, allowing infestations to move from one field to another.

“Should the infestation worsen, the SRA has identified 13 active ingredients that may be used against RSSI,” Magbanua said.

Only one of those active ingredients is registered with the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA). Authorities are seeking special authorization to use the rest.

Magbanua said provincial officials will determine additional control protocols after completing the assessment and consulting stakeholders.

Among the affected local government units, Passi City recorded the largest infested area at 2,275 hectares, followed by San Enrique with 1,100 hectares and Anilao with 930 hectares.

RSSI is a sap-sucking insect that feeds on sugarcane leaves and drains nutrients from the plant.

It also secretes honeydew, a sticky substance that encourages the growth of sooty mold on leaf surfaces, further reducing the plant’s ability to photosynthesize.

Heavy infestations can significantly cut cane yields and sugar recovery, making early detection and containment critical to protecting the province’s sugar industry.

RSSI was first detected in the Philippines in 2022 and has since become one of the most serious pest threats to the domestic sugar industry, according to the SRA.

The outbreak has been most severe in Negros Occidental, where the SRA reported 61,242 hectares affected, of which 12,332 hectares were validated as infested, involving 4,726 farmers.

The Negros Occidental provincial government has set aside an initial PHP 24.96 million for a six-month biosecurity response, and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has rejected proposals for aerial pesticide spraying in favor of biological control.

The SRA leads an inter-agency task force on RSSI that includes the DA, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and local government units.