SRA to Launch RSSI Training in Bacolod on July 14

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY—In a bid to combat the spread of Red Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) in the Negros region, the Sugar Regulatory Administration will hold a specialized training for local agriculturists, representatives from affected local government units, the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Plant Industry, and other key stakeholders.

The session is scheduled for Monday, July 14, in Bacolod City, according to an SRA press statement released Friday.

As of Friday, SRA data showed that RSSI has affected 2,332.51 hectares of sugar farms and impacted 1,326 farmers across 113 barangays in the Visayas.

The training aims to equip participants with skills and knowledge for early detection, prevention, and monitoring of RSSI to support efforts to control and ultimately eradicate the pest.

While RSSI continues to spread, last week’s monitoring showed only a slight increase compared to previous weeks.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said the slower rise may be due to heightened awareness and planters initiating their own interventions.

However, he noted that the data is based on validated ocular inspections and the actual number may be higher, as some farmers have not reported RSSI presence on their farms.

RSSI infestations pose a serious threat to sugarcane productivity, with studies showing a potential 50 percent reduction in sugar content in affected canes.

Bacolod City was chosen as the first training site due to confirmed RSSI cases in 20 local government units in Negros Occidental and one in Negros Oriental.

The training will be led by the SRA’s Research, Development, and Extension Department and is part of a broader response coordinated with the Department of Agriculture Negros Island Region, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Negros Occidental, the Bureau of Plant Industry, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Food and Pesticide Authority, and the Mill District Development Councils.