Baksh denies Government playing down black sigatoga disease
THE Chairman, Mr. Alli Baksh has refuted a claim by Alliance for Change (AFC) councillor, Mr. Archie Cordis that Government is playing down the black sigatoga disease that is affecting some sucker farms in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam).
Responding to the allegation at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) meeting on Tuesday, Baksh said no sensible government pushing the national grow more food drive would want to not pay attention to that which has negative effects on its plantain and banana export markets.
He told councillors that Government’s policy is to eradicate anything that would be a threat to crops and the Ministry of Agriculture, through its extension services in the region, is working with other crop farmers to combat the disease.
Baksh said non-traditional crops are very important to this country’s exports and Government will spare no effort to help farmers advance the national grow more food thrust.
Regional Vice-Chairman, Mr. Vishnu Samaroo said agriculture officers in the region are, currently, using several chemicals to combat the disease which is also called ‘burnt leaves’ and ‘fire burnt’.
He said the whole country is not affected.
People’s National Congress Reform-One Guyana (PNCR-1G) councillor, Mrs. Marva Bowen suggested the RDC instruct agriculture officers to step up their fight against the disease.
Plantain is presently sold at $50 per pound on the Essequibo Coast, said another PNCR-IG Councillor, Mr. Rudolph Garraway.
He lamented that farmers in Lower Pomeroon are losing out on the high price for their produce because their farms are under attack by the affliction.
According to him, large farms with more than 20,000 suckers have perished because of the black sigatoga.