Aerial spraying of pesticides to stop the devastating destruction of sugarcane crops by Red-Striped Soft Scale Insects (RSSI) across Negros Island will be safe, fast, and cost-efficient.
This was assured by pesticide suppliers at a press conference called by United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED) President Manuel Lamata in Bacolod City on Wednesday afternoon, July 22.
Lamata said he welcomed Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson’s announcement that he is leaving it to the mayors of Negros Occidental to decide whether they will support aerial spraying of pesticides in the sugarcane fields of their respective towns and cities.
The UNIFED president urged the mayors to act swiftly versus RSSI for the good of the sugar industry and local farmers.
Lamata noted that Sagay City has already begun chemical spraying using drones. Moises Padilla and Talisay City have also expressed interest in chemical spraying.
Lamata said that while he supports biocontrol agents to fight RSSI as a long-term solution, urgent measures need to be undertaken now—with only three months left before the start of the milling season—to save the remaining standing sugarcane crops.
He added that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. informed him that RSSI is not only hitting sugarcane, but has also started to infest rice crops in Tarlac.
Lamata said UNIFED has asked the DA Secretary to download ₱200 million to help in the fight against RSSI, but additional support from local government units will also be needed.
“Let’s stop bickering… we have only one enemy, and that is RSSI,” he said.
Lamata added that he wants the aerial spraying of pesticides to prioritize small sugarcane farms in hilly areas, as they are the ones most in need of help.
He emphasized that using airplanes to spray pesticides against RSSI will be faster, which is what is needed right now. He said that aerial spraying can cover 400 to 600 hectares in six hours.
Aerial spraying of pesticides will cost ₱2,240 per hectare, said Ruby Cruz, Chief Executive Officer of DC Cruz Trading Corporation.
The breakdown includes ₱1,740 for the pesticides and ₱500 for the airplane per hectare, she explained.
She clarified that DC Cruz is not taking sides, noting that they have been selling inputs to local farmers for 60 years.
“We derive our livelihood largely from the sugarcane industry as well, so it’s very important that this industry survives. We will do everything we can to save it,” she said.
Lamata and Cruz were joined by Rodelio Macatula, National Technical and Regulatory Manager of International Veterinary and Agricultural Corp.; Nithant Kaushik, Country Manager of BIOSTART Inc.; Pia Balderamos, Business Development and Technical Representative of Jardine Distribution; and Octavius Ebron, Bayer CropScience Inc. Technical/Field Solution Manager.
Cruz said the multinational crop protection suppliers who were present at the press conference are all compliant with government regulatory requirements.
She added that Integrated Pest Management—combining chemical and biological solutions—is needed for the long-term survival of the industry.
They are recommending the use of Pymetrozine, a systemic pesticide that specifically targets sap-feeding pests like RSSI, she said.
Unlike contact pesticides, which only affect pests that touch the treated surface, systemic pesticides protect the plant from the inside out, including newly grown tissues that were not present at the time of application.
Macatula said that all the products they sell have passed government regulatory standards and are relatively safe for the environment, humans, and beneficial insects when used properly.*
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