Sugar stakeholders seek coordination vs pest infestation

MANILA, Philippines — Sugar industry stakeholders and the government are coordinating efforts against the ongoing, red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation in sugarcane farms.

The Asociacion de Agricoltures de la Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. (AALCPI) and the Universal Robina Corp. (URC) in a meeting with the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) vowed to support the agency’s programs in addressing the RSSI infestation.

The meeting focused on possible collaboration between the SRA and sugar stakeholders which can lead to better efforts in fighting the pest infestation.

AALCPI manager Dave Alba said the group and its mill partners are willing to take a unified stand to best eradicate or minimize the effects of RSSI on mill districts.

“We are very happy with the results of SRA’s efforts and assistance with our farmer members in the district, and as a group, we have realized that SRA can only do so much unless the private sector helps the government,” Alba added.

La Carlota Mill District Development chair Florencio Alonso said there is a need to expand the scope of the agency’s program against RSSI, noting that farmers, sugar mills and local government units should also be involved.

“We remain confident that SRA is the right agency to continue to spearhead these efforts, but this time, we need to expand the scope and involve the farmers, the mill and more importantly the local government units to make it work,” he added.

AALCPI is one of the largest independent planter’s groups in the country, while URC operates sugar mills in Kabankalan and La Carlota, Negros Occidental.

The SRA heads the inter-agency RSSI Task Force, which implements pest control and farmer education programs. The agency earlier confirmed an outbreak of RSSI in Negros Occidental last year, one of the country’s major sources of sugar.

RSSI feeds on sugarcane fluids, effectively reducing its sugar content by up to 50 percent.