Protect coconuts from “cocolisap”

The province of Bohol has been bracing to protect the coconut industry against the infestation of Scale Insects “Cocolisap” that badly affected such industry in Basilan.

Bohol Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Manager Emiliano Romero said that some precautionary measures include: securing necessary permit to transport coconut seed nut/seedlings from PCA and to undergo quarantine especially seedlings that come from Mindanao particularly Basilan. Romero said those processes are important because the scale insects could thrive even in the leaves of the coconut seedlings and could easily transfer to another coconut tree once transported and multiply million times.

He said Cocolisap attack the back portion of the coconut leaves by sucking the nutrients making the leaves yellowish. These halt photosynthesis and wither a coconut tree.

Romero said massive cutting of affected coconut trees were reported in Basilan, while lumbers were shipped to Cebu.

The PCA manager in Bohol urged the Boholano coco farmers to be vigilant and report to his office suspected cases of cocolisap for early treatment.

Romero said we have to protect the 80,000 hectares (has.) of planted coconut here in Bohol and prevent carriers  of the deadly pest  that would ruin our coconut industry. Meanwhile, during the Provincial Coordinating Committee on Agri-Fishery (PCCAF) regular meeting last Wednesday at the Bohol Tropics this city, Romero reminded the Boholanos to refrain from cutting coconut trees without permit.

He said violators will have to pay the penalty of P 100,000 to P500,000 and imprisonment of two to six years or both upon the discretion of the court.

Chainsaw operators who fail to register as lumber processor at the PCA as lumber processor including the chainsaw shall be penalized to pay the amount of P18, 000.

He said cutting coconut trees aging three years old and above or even those lightning stricken coconut trees, securing of permit to cut is necessary.

Romero added that even those coconut trees that would be affected by the road widening project, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH0), the contractor or the Local Government Unit (LGU) must secure permission from the PCA.

Coconut trees that pose danger to lives and limbs must be cut without permit, however, permits must be secured if it would be processed into coco lumbers.

He strongly urged the Boholanos to plant coconut and adopt the Coconut Seedlings Dispersal Program (CSDP) and Participatory Coconut Planting Program (PCPP)

According to Romero the CSDP is the program of PCA wherein a minimum of 72 and a maximum of  500 coconut seedlings are given free   to the group of coconut farmers who are willing to plant and grow the coconut; while the PCPP is a program of giving  incentives of P85 per coconut planted if the farmers grows the seed nuts in the nursery. ( Atoy Cosap)