The increasing attacks by fall armyworms on crops in Negros Occidental have affected 281 farmers tilling 178.14 hectares of sugarcane and corn, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) reported Friday, June 21.
The fall armyworms have hit 80 hectares of sugarcane fields and 32. 54 hectares of corn crops in Himamaylan City, Nilo Basco Jr., OPA Crop Protection Section head, said.
Also attacked by the fall armyworms were corn fields in Isabela – 22 hectares, Binalbagan – 18 hectares and Moises Padilla – 25 hectares, he said.
Corn farms in Barangay Tabu in Ilog, La Castellana and in Barangay Concepcion in Talisay City were also reported to have been attacked by armyworms, which are up for verification, Basco said.
The provincial government has initially allocated P3 million for the purchase pesticides to curb the spread of the fall armyworms, Basco added.*