BALANGA CITY, Bataan, July 29 — Alarmed with the growing menace of army worms in agricultural lands here, the city government led by Mayor Jose Enrique “Joet” S. Garcia III, discussed with City Agriculture Office ways on how to address this growing problem.
It was reported that more than 10 hectares of land planted to various crops have been totally destroyed by horn worms, army worms and cut worms in Barangay Dangcol, this city.
The town of Mariveles, particularly the barangays of Alion, Batangas, Alas-asin and Baseco, were reportedly badly hit by the sudden resurgence of worms.
Other towns in the province were similarly affected by such worms which usually come out during the advent of rainy season and cold weather after a considerably long spell of dry season.
Provincial Agriculturist Imelda Nieto, said the first attack of the worms was sighted in Barangay Maite, Hermosa town last June 17, affecting grass lands and rice fields in the northern part of the province.
Orlando Mendoza who has been into planting kamote since a decade ago said his sweet potato plantation were badly hit by horn worms and army worms.
"We usually harvest more than a hundred sacks of kamote but with this situation, I think we will harvest only 50 sacks," Mendoza lamented.
Nerissa B. Mateo, City Agriculture head said Mayor Garcia instructed the city agriculture staff to visit the affected areas and provide assistance to farmers in Barangay Dangcol and other villages were plants worms attacked.
Mateo said the city government is providing livelihood assistance in the form of animal dispersal and livestock raising to farmers in severely-hit areas.
Camote farmers in the farming village used fertilizers to control the worms but they decided to stop when they noticed that worms have become even more aggressive on the smell of fertilizers.
Ronnie Lopez, city senior agriculturist, explained that fertilizers are acidic in nature.
Lopez , together with his team recently sprayed worms-cide called "Sevin" to get rid of horn worms.
He assured residents that the chemical sprayed on the farm was non-toxic to mammals.
He said that the city government is introducing organic pesticides instead of the commercial, highly toxic variety in line with the government’s promotion of organic farming. (PNA) LOR/zst/EBE/ps