Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, June 16, that a state of emergency could be declared if the spread of Red-Striped Soft Scale Insects (RSSI) in Negros Occidental worsens.
“We need more information as to the percentage of affected areas before we can even declare a state of emergency,” he said.
The RSSI attacks on sugarcane fields are very unfortunate because they are happening during the planting season, Lacson said.
The governor said he was informed that sugar federations would like to sit down with him, and he is looking to schedule a meeting with them next week.
He said he does not know what they will be asking for or if they will request a declaration of a state of emergency, which was done last year when the RSSIs also hit sugarcane fields.
A declaration of a state of emergency would allow local government units to use part of their calamity funds to address the RSSI problem in their areas, Lacson said.
He added that it is unfortunate the RSSI problem is occurring just as the milling season ended with very low sugar prices. Everybody is hoping millgate sugar prices will go up in the new crop year, Lacson said.
Data released by the Sugar Regulatory Administration showed Negros Occidental has been hit hardest by the increased RSSI infestation.
Negros Occidental bears the brunt of the devastation with over 2,000 hectares of infested crops, the SRA said.
The RSSI is a highly destructive, sap-sucking agricultural pest that primarily targets sugarcane. It damages crops through a two-part assault: first, it inserts piercing mouthparts into the leaves to continuously drain the plant’s vital, nutrient-rich sap, causing the foliage to yellow, wilt, and dry up.
The insect then excretes a sticky, sugary waste called honeydew, which coats the leaves and fuels the rapid growth of a black fungus known as sooty mold. This dark fungal layer blocks out sunlight and halts photosynthesis, severely stunting the cane’s growth and drastically reducing the sucrose content of the harvest.*
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