Sie sind auf Seite 1von 5

Philippine coconut farmers

warn over pesticide use


By Edwin Espejo Jun 27, 2014
GENERAL SANTOS CIT ! Alarmed over the spread of a
de"ilitatin# disease that is destro$in# coconut farms in Lu%on& 'indanao coconut
farmers are callin# for an island(wide summit to prevent the infestation from wipin#
out the coconut industr$ here)
Rene Pamintuan& co(convenor of the Save the Coconut 'ovement& said millions of
coconut trees are d$in# in Lu%on& particularl$ in the Southern Ta#alo# re#ion due to
widespread infestation "$ coconut scale insect& also *nown as cocolisap)
Pamintuan said there are alread$ cases of cocolisap attac*s in several provinces in
'indanao "ut this has not $et reached the level of destruction that hit La#una and
+atan#as)
+ut we do not have to wait "efore we ta*e action&, he said durin# a press "riefin#
'onda$)
Pamintuan however warned a#ainst the use of chemicals in eradicatin# the pests)
-e claimed neonicotinoid pesticides are s$stemic)
Coconut scale insect.Pic courtesy of Save the Coconut Movement
.The$ enter into the s$stem of the plant) The$ will eventuall$ also *ill friendl$ insects&,
he warned)
Neonicotinoid pesticides attac* the nervous s$stem of insects& *illin# them in the
process)
Pamintuan also said the widespread use of chemicals will have far(reachin#
ramification for the alread$ reelin# coconut industr$)
Importers of Philippine coconut products ma$ not "e pleased if the$ will learn that
these are chemicall$(laced)
Pamintuan instead ur#ed the #overnment to adopt "iolo#ical methods to prevent the
spread of the disease)
Thailand& he cited& released /00 million parasitoids that feed on the coconut scale
insect while the Philippines reportedl$ release a mere 100 pieces)
The fish scaleli!e insect attac!s the youn" core of leaves of coconuts.Pic courtesy of
Save the Coconut Movement
PCA entomolo#ists however said the$ have released 203&410 coccinellid "eetles in the
Cala"ar%on area to com"at the infestation) Coccinellid "eetles were identified as
natural predators in a PCA stud$ that had "rou#ht them to Indonesia where similar
cases were reported)
Even former PCA 2/ re#ional director Elvira Silva said she resisted the use of harmful
chemicals in eradicatin# the pests)
Not endemic
Nor"erto Le5arso& retired mana#er of Philippine Coconut Authorit$ 6PCA7 in
Saran#ani& said the disease ma$ have "een introduced into the countr$ "$ florists who
imported ornamental palms from Thailand)
Accordin# to the Save the Coconut 'ovement& +asilan appeared to "e the province in
'indanao with most num"er of cases of coconut scale insect attac* 6scientific
nameaspidiotus destructor7)
The plant disease could attac* in a matter of months and the dama#e could "e
irreversi"le&, Pamintuan warned)
Coconut scale insects attac* the $oun#est leaf tissues of "oth seedlin#s and mature
coconuts reducin# the a"ilit$ of the tree to produce its own food throu#h
photos$nthesis) Prolon#ed infestation could lead to the eventual death of the tree)
The PCA said the countr$ is losin# P3/ "illion in potential revenues due to the
infestation)
P100 million fund
President +eni#no A8uino III recentl$ si#ned E9ecutive Order No 24: allocatin# P100
million to arrest the spread of the disease that could devastate the ;S</ "illion
coconut e9port industr$ "ut has put emphasis on usin# pesticides)
The president has desi#nated former Senator =rancisco Pan#ilinan to head the Tas*
=orce created "$ EO 24:)
Le5arso said more than >0 percent of the countr$?s coconut production is from
'indanao with over 400 million trees)
-e said Saran#ani alone has more than 200&000 hectares of coconut plantations with
more than />&000 coconut farmers)
The countr$ has more than 3)> million coconut farmers)
Pamintuan said the$ hope the 'indanao coconut summit will #et the attention of the
#overnment and loo* for alternative and environment friendl$ solution to the pro"lem
that is threatenin# the entire coconut industr$)
@e alread$ lost the nata de coco volume sales 6which was7 ta*en over "$ Thailand
a"road when it was learned that our nata de coco were laced with chemicals&,
Pamintuan said as he read the position paper of the Save the Coconut 'ovement)

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen