CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) implements a comprehensive assistance program for Central Luzon farmers affected by the onion armyworm infestation.
 
Reports from the DA 3 High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) showed that Nueva Ecija is the hardest hit province in the region, with 17.8 hectares of farmland totally damaged and 2,435 hectares partially damaged out of 10,338.88 hectares dedicated to onion farming.
 
DA 3 OIC Regional Executive Director Dr. Eduardo Lapuz said with this, there is an urgent need to safeguard the livelihood of local farmers and ensure the stability of onion supply in the market.
 
“Since the start of 2024, we [DA] have initiated several measures to mitigate the impact of pest infestations. To date, we have already trained approximately 749 farmers in effective pest control techniques, and distributed 72 sachets of pheromone lure and 50 sachets of plant growth enhancer with insecticidal content among affected communities,” he said.
 
DA is also set to distribute buffer stocks of red creole and yellow granex onion seeds to affected farmers by the end of March.
 
The agency has allocated P27 million for this initiative to support the agricultural sector through challenging times.
 
The current farmgate prices stand at P28 per kilogram for red onions and P45 per kilogram for yellow onions.
 
Meanwhile, Lapuz stressed that DA Central Luzon remains steadfast in its mission to provide comprehensive support to the farmers in region by ensuring access to knowledge and resources needed to overcome the challenges posed by pest infestations.
 
He added that the agency will continue to implement programs that will uplift the agricultural community and contribute to a resilient and prosperous agricultural sector in the country. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)