Coconut infestation a national concern, says DA exec
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap yesterday said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo already signed an executive order to contain and eradicate the coconut pest Brontispa Longgissima which has attacked coconut plantations in the country.
The brontispa beetle is estimated to affect 10 percent of the coconut industry in Western Visayas in six months period.
Yap, who was in Iloilo City yesterday said the President asked them to exercise emergency measures before the infestation wipes out the country's coconut industry. Initially, the secretary will call for a meeting with the League of Governors and other officials to discuss the steps to contain the problem.
As of yesterday, Yap said a company which is selling Actara, a pest control pesticide expressed their willingness to contain the coconut beetle. The local government units affected by the pest should assist in containing the Brontispa longissima, he said.
Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Regional Manager Jose Cruz the infestation has already reached the city and province of Iloilo, Boracay Island in Aklan and the province of Guimaras.
In Iloilo, coconut beetle infestation reportedly affected the towns of Cabatuan and Sta. Barbara. Cruz, however, did not say if the royal palms planted along the road going to the new Iloilo Airport of International Standard was the source of the pest.
Cruz said the ornamental palms planted at the Iloilo Airport of International Standard came from Bulacan. The first recorded brontispa beetle attack in the country was in 2005. The pest were first spotted preying on palm trees along Baywalk strip in Roxas Boulevard in Manila.
The farmers have nothing to worry as they are closely monitoring all coconut producing areas and all coastal areas where coconut trees thrive, said Cruz.
The brontispa beetle first came into prominence after attacking coconut and palm trees in Sri Lanka, Maldives, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Myanmar.
Cruz added that they have already initiated measures to contain the pest infestation. He said they are into biological control, mechanical control and chemical control. They have also designed what they call as "guard rows" to protect coconut and palm trees from brontispa.
The biological control makes use of black earwigs locally known as "sipit" to break the cycle of the brontispa beetle. The PCA is into mass rearing of black earwigs. The black earwigs will serve as predator to attack the brontispa beetle. The release of black earwigs is the natural and sustainable solution to attack the plague.
Cruz explained that in the mechanical control, young infested frond are cut and burn. The affected fronds are also taped in order that the beetle will not transfer to other coconut trees or palms before burning. The brontispa beetle transfer from one coconut tree to another in just a short period.
The third measure is the chemical control which is done with the use of injection called Actara. The chemicals are injected in the trunk of the coconut tree or palm trees, said Cruz.