The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has approved the use of CropGuard, a locally developed pesticide by Chemrez Technologies Inc., as an alternative treatment for coconut scale insect (CSI), or cocolisap, signaling a shift toward more sustainable pest control policies.
The PCA endorsement marks a policy pivot away from the traditionally used trunk-injection synthetic pesticides, which carry risks such as tree damage, chemical residues, and loss of organic certification for farms. Chemrez president Dean Lao Jr. lauded the decision, saying it supports “organic and environmentally responsible farming practices.”
CropGuard, a non-invasive, residue-free pesticide, has been tested in collaboration with PCA and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. It is recommended for dual 15-day interval applications, and works by suffocating the insect and repelling further infestation.
The approval offers coconut farmers a new tool against cocolisap, which has previously damaged over 2.4 million trees since first emerging in 2014. While the PCA reported in May that infections remain manageable, affecting only 0.15 percent of the nation’s 345 million coconut trees, the new policy aims to preserve both tree health and access to premium organic markets.
Coconut production in the Philippines dropped by 2.6 percent to 14.5 million metric tons in 2024, partly due to insect infestation, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
