The Department of Agriculture (DA) is scaling up production of a naturally occurring fungus to fight the red‑striped soft scale insect (RSSI), a pest that can cut sugar content by nearly 50 percent. First seen in 2022, RSSI now ranks as a major threat to the Philippine sugar industry.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to speed up biocontrol output, targeting enough supply to cover 75,000 hectares. Extra funding will be provided—for production, plus AI‑based detection and monitoring. DA laboratories will also support faster work.
RSSI weakens cane and promotes mold, lowering yields. Verified infestation stands at about 4,600 /ha; over 30 percent of areas in Negros Occidental and Oriental are reportedly affected, with spread noted in Iloilo, Capiz, Leyte, and Mindanao. As of June 5, 2026, Visayas alone had 2,249.48 ha affected across 195 villages. Negros Occidental is hardest hit, while smaller outbreaks are expanding elsewhere.
The SRA‑led inter‑agency task force also uses drones for insecticide application—recently tested on 3.43 ha in La Castellana, Negros Occidental. Current allocation is ₱8 million, with more resources coming.
Meanwhile, sugar prices as of June 16: refined ₱75–92/kg, washed ₱65–88/kg, brown ₱64–82/kg. Raw sugar stood at ₱2,304.05 per 50‑kg bag as of May 24, a 1% week‑on‑week drop.
