Bacolod City – An estimated 5,000 coconut trees in four local government units of Negros Occidental are infected with “cocolisap”, and the Philippine Coconut Authority has raised the possibility that it may spread to neighboring LGUs if it will not be contained.
Neil Melencion, PCA regional manager, said that they will be creating the CSI (Coconut Scale Insect Mitigation) Task Force Negros Occidental, to handle the containment of the rising bug infestations of coconut trees in cities of La Carlota and Bago, as well as La Castellana and Murcia.
Melencion said the PCA is now working with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson for the issuance of quarantine restrictions in affected areas to prevent its spread.
He also confirmed that Lacson has allocated P200,000 to augment funds of the PCA for the pruning of affected leaves of coconut trees, which they started last week.
Asked on estimated losses in coconut industry due to bug infestation in Negros Occidental, Melencion initially placed it at P3.8 million, if 10,000 coconut trees will be affected.
An executive order has been issued by Lacson, which establishes emergency measures to control and manage the spread and damage of “aspidiotus rigidus”, locally known as cocolisap in Negros Occidental, and designated the PCA as the lead agency.
The EO states that Negros Occidental has 5,038,723 coconut trees, 2,500,000 of which are bearing, with a potential income of P18.7 million (copra based). It also provides livelihood to an estimated 13,958 coconut farmers.
The insect pest, according to the EO, attaches itself to plant leaves, feeding on sap directly drawn from the plant’s vascular system, has tremendously devastated bearing and non-bearing coconut trees, as well as significant number of coconut farms in Negros Occidental.
Aside from coconut trees, the pest has also been attacking other high value crops that are cultivated under coconuts, Lacson further said, in his executive order.
Melencion also disclosed that it will take one to two years to recover from the infestation, adding that it may also affect supply of buko and copra. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star, photo courtesy of newsfeed.ph)
