Iloilo officials sound alarm over pest infestation
Officials of the country's second biggest rice producing province have sounded the alarm over the infestation of the rice black bug.
Provincial Agriculturist Zafiro Palabrica told The News Today that he had just met with the provincial-paid agricultural technicians.
"We gave them additional assignments in relation to this infestation," Palabrica said.
The technicians, who number 29, will be deployed to the affected towns of Ajuy, Sara and Concepcion in the province's 5th district.
The Department of Agriculture is also reportedly drafting plans at terminating the pests, which attack during the flowering phase of rice.
Next to Nueva Ecija, Iloilo is the second biggest rice producer.
As of Saturday last week, the black bug infestation has affected 23 hectares of riceland, but Palabrica said that they are confirming reports that the figure has already swelled to 1,000 hectares.
Over the weekend, Palabrica said over Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, that the rice black bug multiplies relatively easy, especially during hot seasons. Moreover, they are hard to terminate because they seek cover in the minute cracks in the ricelands.
Palabrica said that Governor Niel Tupas, who hails from the 5th district, placed urgency over this infestation.
According to Palabrica, the last time there was a black bug infestation was about three to four years ago in Kabankalan and Bago Cities in Negros Occidental province.
They may have entered the province through the various ports of entry, maybe along with the rice shipments or those using the ro-ro (roll-on, roll-off) transport, Palabrica surmised.
He, however, expressed optimism that the infestation will be eradicated soon.
"It was successfully eradicated in Negros Occidental, so we can do that also here," Palabrica said.
In the meantime, he advised farmers that the black bugs can be controlled by simply allowing ducks to wander through affected rice paddies. The ducks eat them, Palabrica explained.