BACOLOD CITY, June 29 -- The United Sugar Producers' Federation of the Philippines (UNIFED), the country's largest independent sugar planters' group, is pushing to strengthen the initiatives of the inter-agency task force down to the local government units to address the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation in Negros Island.

This was stressed by UNIFED president Manuel Lamata as they organized an RSSI management and stakeholders forum attended by about 200 farmers at Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City, Negros Occidental on Monday.

SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona presented the latest validated infestation data, indicating 16,019 hectares of affected sugarcane farms in Negros Island.

"We need a unified effort from e...