‘Cocolisap’ affects 800T coconut trees in Zambo

COCONUT TREE (Photo by Koshy Koshy, Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

ZAMBOANGA CITY –The city government has released PhP16.3 million to purchase the needed materials and pesticides to contain the spread of small scale insects known as “cocolisap” in this city.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacat on Tuesday said part of the funds would also be used to provide assistance to the affected coconut farmers.

Palacat said among the things they would purchase to use in containing the spread of cocolisap are bio-pesticides, fertilizers, and sprayers.

He said the funding allocation of the city government is already being utilized while the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is still working on the release of its funds.

“The PCA has been conducting massive pruning, we will follow in with massive spraying of the pruned coconuts,” he said.

The PCA and the Office of the City Agriculturist have monitored that around 800,000 coconut trees have been affected by the cocolisap in this city.

Zamboanga City has approximately 30,000 hectares planted to coconuts, or roughly three million coconut trees.

Palacat said the cocolisap infestation has already spread to all barangays of this city. This city has 98 barangays.

The presence of cocolisap was first reported in May 2016 in the barangays of Latuan and Dulia-Upper Bunguiao.

Cocolisap is an invasive leaf-sucking insect with a scale-like waxy protective covering.

It feeds on coconut, mangosteen, banana, and other palms, which can be dispersed by wind.