Aerial spraying of fungicide in banana plantations is the safest and most effective method for the control of the dreaded black sigatoka virus.

This was the firm position taken by the Pest Management Council of the Philippines (PMCP) in reaction to the continuing campaign of opponents of the method used in defending banana plantations in the Davao Region from the onslaught of the virus.

Black sigatoka was responsible for the decimation of the banana industry in a number of Latin American countries in the early 1960s which caused the shift of global demand to Asia, principally the Philippines.

“There is no need to ban this application method,” PMCP president Gil Magsino said.

Magsino is a decorated weed scientist of the National Crop Protection Center (NCPC) based at the College of Agriculture of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB).

PMCP confirmed that aerial spray “has not exhibited any alarming indications of environmental or epidemiological proportions” in its 40-year history in the Philippines.

The council said it also agrees with the House of Representatives and the banana industry that what is needed is adequate and enforceable regulation of the practice and not an outright ban as proposed by opponents of aerial spraying.

PMCP stressed that there exists a set of global standards for safe and responsible aerial spraying and this can be adopted in an agricultural economy like the Philippines.

It also noted the position taken by President Arroyo, who said it might be necessary to abide by international standards for aerial spraying of fungicide.

PMCP said this position is “most reasonable.”

The council also called for further strengthening the role of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) as a regulatory agency that will monitor aerial spraying.

It explained that such monitoring must also deal with public and environmental health issues, the results of which should be made public and transparent.