Armyworms destroy 923.5 hectares of Negros farms

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Up to 923.5 hectares of sugarcane plantations and cornfields in Negros Occidental have been destroyed by armyworms as of July 5.

These fields are located in 75 barangays in the province’s 15 municipalities and cities, according to the office of the provincial agriculturist (OPA).

Among those affected by the infestations were the cities of Bago, Escalante, Kabankalan, Himamaylan, Sagay and Silay as well as the towns of Binalbagan, Candoni, Cauayan, Hinobaan, Isabela, Ilog, La Castellana, Moises Padilla and Murcia.

The calamity displaced 1,429 farmers tilling 843 and 80 hectares of cornfields and sugarcane plantations, respectively, according to OPA officer-in-charge Dina Genzola.

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday said the provincial government has received 50 liters of insecticide from the Department of Agriculture.

The 50 liters of insecticide is good only for 100 hectares of crops devoured by the worms, Lacson said.

The provincial government allocated an additional budget of P3 million for the procurement of more insecticide.

Five of six local government units in the fifth district of the province alone have been affected by armyworms.

Experts from the National Crop Protection Center of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños arrived in Negros Occidental last week to help farmers contain the infestation.

The UPLB team recommended the use of chemicals and biocontrol methods in containing the pests.

The team will submit their official report and recommendations to the OPA.