ONION FARMS UNDER SIEGE

BAYAMBANG—Bayambang becomes the second town in Pangasinan after Bautista that declared a state of calamity due to the onslaught of armyworms, locally called by farmers as “harabas”.

At least P500 million worth of onion plants were already reported destroyed by the pest.

Bayambang was placed under the state of calamity in a resolution approved by the municipal council during its regular session on Tuesday, said Artemio Buezon, municipal agriculture officer,

Buezon said at least 800 hectares of onion plantations in 40 barangays (out of 66) of Bayambang have already been infested by armyworms.

The municipal council responded to the clamor of farmers that their town be placed under the state of calamity so that it can use part of its calamity fund to assist farmers and their families affected by the infestation.

The onion farmers were already forced to harvest their crops even if the bulbs are still small before they are totally destroyed by ‘harabas’.

Bayambang is the biggest producers of onion in Pangasinan.

Also affected by armyworms are onion plantations in Alcala, Umingan and Malasiqui.

The office of the provincial agriculturist has advised onion farmers to harvest what is left of their produce before armyworms finish them off.

The farmers were also advised to adopt crop rotation in order to break the life cycle of the pest. (Leonardo Micua)

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