Gov't unveils program to fight coconut pest

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government launched today a six-month program to fight a pest known as scale insects which has infested more than a million coconut trees in the country.

Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agriculture Modernization Francis Pangilinan said the government has set aside P750 million ($17.17 million) to fund the "Scale Insect Emergency Action Program." The program is set to begin this month.

Among the activities outlined in the program are the pruning and burning of drying leaves of infected coconut trees, trunk injection, spraying of organic pesticide, releasing of biocontrol agents, and fertilization. State-run Philippine Coconut Authority will lead the implementation of the program.

Pangilinan said quarantine of affected areas and the set up of checkpoints will also be done to prevent the spread of scale insects (Aspidiotus rigidus).

He said some 1.2 million coconut trees in the northern Philippine provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, and Cavite and the southern Philippine province of Basilan have been infested by scale insects.

The Philippines is the top supplier of coconut products in the world. The local coconut industry contributes an estimated $2 billion in foreign exchange earnings and provides livelihood to 3.5 million farmers in 68 provinces.