YONG PENG: The Government, through the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) hopes to address the bagworm infestation in the district with a three-pronged strategy as the pest had incurred huge losses to oil palm planters.
The measures include aerial spraying of biological microbes, installation of pheromone traps to the worms from breeding on the oil palm leaves and planting alternative crops to attract the bagworms.
Yong Peng assemblyman Lim Kee Moi said the infestation caused palm oil production in Yong Peng (one of the largest produce in Johor) to drop by 40%.
Bagworms or genus metisa plana are leaf-eating insects that spins a silk nest embedded with pieces of dried leaf. It causes damage to crops by defoliating its leaves.
“This is a huge loss to some 1,000 small holders whose livelihood depends on oil palm here,” she said.
The Government and the MPOB, added Lim, are serious about dealing with the infestation.
To make things even worse, hot weather had impacted the bagworm’s manifestation and also heavy use of pesticides.
“We experienced this problem since last year. What we have done is to carry out aerial spraying using biological microbes to kill the bagworms early this year.
“However despite spraying about 3,100ha, we found out that the problem still persisted as there were too many plantations which were scattered all over the place.”
The microbes used are not harmful to people or livestock.
To address the issue, Lim said the smallholders decided to form a cooperative to group them together.
“This way when MPOB decides to carry out aerial spraying, they will be able to pin point the exact location of each oil palm plantation based on coordinates from the Global Positioning System (GPS).”
At least 11 zones were identified as the infected areas here and efforts were underway to register the small holders by Dec 1.
“To register we only need copies of the land owner name together with the land grants and contact details,” she said the launch the cooperative here.
The worst hit areas, said Lim, are Kg Ngamarto, Kg Sawah Padi, Kg Haji Mean, Kg Sungai Lenek, Kg Haji Musa, Desa Temu Jodoh, Sg Purun, Batu 3 Jalan Labis, Bukit Jintan, Batu 5 Jalan Labis (LamLee) and Jalan Paloh.
Besides aerial spraying, the MPOB also gave out special pheromone traps to be put up in the oil palm plantations to trap the moths before they were able to lay their larvae on the leaves.
“We are also encouraging farmers to plant beneficial plants such as Cassia and Turnera near their oil palm trees to attract the bagworms to target and eat them instead of the oil palm leaves,” she added.
On other issues affecting oil palm farmers such as abolishing a RM20 levy charged for each tonne of fresh fruits by collectors as storage fees and the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (MPIC) to implement a downward revision of the CPO export duty immediately instead of January 2013.
Lim said the farmers had argued that the Government would have to act quickly to resolve the issues as the price of palm oil had dropped recently.
She added that Indonesia had also revised its tax rates to make it more attractive.
To address the matters, Lim had urged smallholders in the area to register as members of the cooperative or contact her service centre at 07-4671009 or fax 07-4671039.
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