BACOLOD City – Pest infestations have incurred P11.544 million crop damages to rice farmers in Negros Occidental.
According to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), the infestations were caused by rice black bugs, rats and bacterial leaf.
The OPA Provincial Crop Protection Team already conducted a field check from Feb. 27 until March 14 for continuous validation of pest’s infestation in the identified areas, said Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino.
Around 170 farmers in seven barangays of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental incurred crop damages amounting to P9.612 million in more than 208 hectares of rice fields.
The OPA chief said that pest infestation is one of the pressing threats to the agriculture sector in Negros Occidental along with calamities and climate change.
He stressed that uninsured farmers must avail crop insurance to help them recover from production losses brought by calamities.
Masculino said they have instructed local government units to continue field monitoring and reactivate the Bantay Peste Brigades for sustained and collaborative pest management. (PN)
