Headlines:
| Outbreak of black sigatoka disease in the region |
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| Wednesday, 03 February 2010 | |
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The Windward Islands
Farmers' Association (WINFA) has warned that a growing outbreak of black sigatoka
disease in several Caribbean states could
result in millions of dollars in losses for the regional banana industry. Black sigatoka, a deadly fungal disease affecting chiefly bananas and plantains, has been reported in Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is also suspected in St. Lucia. In Guyana, about half the country's banana and plantain industry has been affected by a suspected black sigatoka outbreak and agriculture officials have ordered the destruction of infected trees. Renwick Rose, WINFA's Coordinator says the situation is grave. "In St. Vincent where it's definitely been, we're estimating that between 20 and 25% of production has been affected and that is right after the moko disease and the loss of the preferential price arrangement for bananas in the Euopean Union," he said. (Source: The BBC Caribbean Service) |