TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is now conducting a series of consultations with stakeholders, a move geared towards minimizing the “kadang-kadang” infestation in Eastern Visayas.
PCA regional manager Edilberto Nierva said that they need to consult landowners of coconut plantation if they are willing to have their trees cut down and be replaced with new seedlings.
In doing so, they also have to take cognizance of the law that regulates the cutting of trees and the payment requirement.
Currently, only the town of Lapinig in Northern Samar and 13 towns from Eastern Samar to include among others Guiuan, Mercedes, Salcedo, Balangiga and Hernani are infested with kadang-kadang.
He added that they looked forward to removing Lapinig from the list of affected areas.
Meanwhile, there is an ongoing marking of trees affected by kadang-kadang. Once marked, they will be cut down and the trunk will be disposed of properly to prevent the spread of the disease.
Based on their data, around 60,000 coconut trees are infested with kadang-kadang and 6,000 have been marked for cutting.
While the initiative is going on, he added that they have prohibited the transport of coconut from these infested areas to non-infected places.
“We don’t want to take chances,” he said.
The regional manager also advised coconut farmers to seek the assistance of their extension workers if they suspect manifestations of the disease in their plantations.
Coconut trees that suffer from the advanced state of infestations have tapered trunk and the nuts are dry.
Kadang-kadang, he said, is caused by viroid and it takes long before the infested tree dies.