Black bugs ravage Isabela coastal town

ILAGAN, Isabela - Almost 200 hectares of farmlands in a remote Pacific coastal town here have been infested by rice blackbugs for almost two months now, with farmers here fearing the infestation may spread to other towns in this country’s major rice producing-province.

Danilo Tumamao, provincial agriculture officer, said around 200 hectares have been affected by blackbugs in the six barangays of Dinapigue town, along the province’s Pacific coast.

Other sources, however said the damage may have reached even beyond the estimated hectares in the town.

The Department of Agriculture reportedly rdered the spraying of carbamate pesticide on the severely affected ricefields to ensure total and swift eradication of the pest, an insect bug which thrives on leaves of rice plants.

“We still cannot estimate the cost of damage to the rice fields in terms of pesos since the affected rice plants were in different stages of growth when they were infested by the blackbugs,” Tumamao said.

Reports showed most affected ricefields in the town, a 15-hour-trip from the provincial capital via Maddela, Quirino and Dilasag, Aurora, were said to be in their reproductive stages.

Tumamao said almost all farming families in the remote town, who are mostly dependent on farming and fishing for their livelihood, were affected by the said infestation, with the average size of ricefields being roughly one hectare each.

Other sources said agriculture personnel are now conducting operations in nearby municipal or village risk areas to prevent the further spread of the bug infestation.

“We got reports from farmers of the varying severity of damage. One farmer had reported that he normally harvested around 80 cavans in his one hectare lot; now he was only able to recover some 40 cavans,” Tumamao said.

Moreover, Tumamao said that a group from the regional crop protection center under DA regional director Gumersindo Lasam had gone to Dinapigue to inspect the extent of damage.

“Before this, Gov. (Grace) Padaca had already ordered rice specialists from our office to likewise see the extent of damage and validate the existence of the blackbug,” Tumamao said.

Aside from this, Tumamao said, the DA regional office had likewise sent a task force under regional technical director Andrew Villacorta to the area to conduct massive information dissemination drive among residents in the area regarding the rice blackbug.

Tumamao said there was necessity for farmers to conduct surveillance and monitoring of their fields for any possible evidence of rice blackbug infestation or damage to rice plants.

“The farmers should not automatically spray their ricefields if they see insects that look like pernicious rice blackbugs,” he said. “They should first get a sample of the insects, label it with the appropriate information on where and when it was taken and then give this to the nearest agricultural office. This is because not all blackbugs are pests.” -- CL