BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental office of the provincial agriculturist recorded an estimated P200,000 worth of damages in four areas in the province due to fall armyworm (FAW) infestation.
OPA chief Japhet Masculino said around 0.7 hectares of land were affected in La Carlota City; 2.25 hectares in La Castellana; Pontevedra (0.25 hectares); and nearly one hectare of cornfield in San Carlos City.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson recently formed the Provincial Coordinating Task Force on fall armyworm to protect crops in the province from possible infestation.
“There is a critical need to create a provincial coordinating task force to ensure preparedness and to strengthen pest surveillance and management activities,” Lacson said.
Regional Technical director Rene Famoso, officer-in-charge of the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas, warned farmers that the exotic pest can infest over 500 plant species.
Lacson directed the Capitol FAW task force to collaborate with its regional counterpart to ensure preparedness of the province with the new invasive pest at all stakeholder levels, prepare appropriate short and long-term action plans and be responsible for the regular submission of the provincial update and necessary data.
Fall armyworms attack rice, corn, soybeans, sugarcane, and some vegetables.
According to a memorandum from the Bureau of Plant Industry in May, the destructive pest has a high reproductive rate and is difficult to control as they have natural tolerance to some insecticides.(With PNA/PN)
