A BLACK bug infestation damaged 4.6 hectares of rice plantation in Barangay Batuan, La Carlota City in Negros Occidental.
Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said on Friday, July 14, the infestation caused burn manifestation on the rice field of Councilor Amalia Aguirre, and placed the damage at P200,000.
“That’s the only degree of the infestation reported to us,” he said.
Masculino warned farmers in neighboring areas to closely monitor their respective fields because there is a tendency that the infestation could infect or transfer to nearby plantations.
He added that the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) conducted light trapping operation as intervention.
Masculino advised the affected farm owner to replant, adding that OPA provides seeds for replanting.
He also encouraged farmers to enroll their farms with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. so they could file indemnity claims.
