The Negros Occidental Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is planning to assist farmers owning armyworm-infested corn fields in San Carlos City by enrolling them in the Negros First Universal Crop Insurance Program. Armando Abaño, OPA senior agriculturist and crop protection coordinator, said yesterday that among the actions to be taken is assisting the farmers in the NFUCIP enrolment after they have re-established their crops. A total of 31.78 hectares in barangays Guadalupe, Palampas and Nataban were infested by armyworms causing production losses estimated at P254,240, the OPA Pest Monitoring Report for June 27 to July 5 said. Crops in Sitios Gigalaman, Butaan, Gabon and Handalago in Brgy. Guadalupe were severely damaged with 31.1 hectares or 100 percent of the total plantation; Sitio Abaca, Barangay Palampas, 0.44 hectare, and; 0.24 hectare in Sitios Masapod and Anagsing in Brgy. Nataban, it said. OPA will also check if some of the corn farms are already listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture-Agricultural Insurance Program, of the Budget and Management and the Agriculture Department and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, Abaño said. He said OPA has recommended giving assistance in the form of corn seeds in Guadalupe, and other climate change appropriate crops in other barangays. He added that it is still the beginning of the cropping season so the affected farmers can still utilize the favorable weather condition for starting over again. The farmers have already employed massive spraying operations after the city government gas provided pesticides to stop the spread of the pests that damaged crops in their vegetative state. OPA and San Carlos CAO are conducting technical orientations on armyworms and other pests in nearby areas with history of infestation for possible recurrence, he said. The city government, together with OPA, is also reinforcing the community-based crop protection or Bantay Peste Brigade to back up the monitoring efforts. OPA is also commending the quick response of the San Carlos CAO and City Mayor Gerardo Valmayor Jr., who extended their services up to the weekend. Meanwhile, OPA has intensified the Integrated Pest Management efforts in areas in District 4 that were previously infested by rice black bug. He said they are following the flight pattern from Pontevedra of the black bug which needs monitoring and surveillance every cropping season. OPA is also closely monitoring areas in North and Central Negros and some areas in the 5 th and 6 th Districts for possible pest recurrences. Abaño assured the farmers that the city and municipal agriculturists are trained and competent in Integrated Pest Management.*KBC Source - http://www.visayandailystar.com/