Agriculture Ministry working with local farmers to deal with yam rust disease

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has been working with local farmers to deal with yam rust disease, which has presented itself in Jamaica.

Yam rust, also known as Goplana dioscorea and Goplana australis, is reportedly caused by a fungal pathogen.

Research has indicated that its symptoms include yellow spots or pustules on upper leaf surfaces.

Portfolio Minister, Floyd Green, has informed that a team from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Bodles Research Station has been dispatched to help farmers cauterise the spread of the disease and save crops.

“We've tried to be as proactive as possible with our surveillance systems and we have already procured $9 million in fungicides that we will be distributing to our farmers that have been impacted. We start that distribution tomorrow (Thursday, July 18), to help the yam rust farmers treat with the issue,” Green said.

The Minister was speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference, held at Jamaica House on July 17.

On the matter of the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show, Green said questions have come as to what will happen to the event.

“This is the 70th year of Denbigh and we know that it is a celebration of our farmers and now, more than ever, as they show resilience in this time, we wanted to see how we could still celebrate our farmers. But we do appreciate that a number of our farmers will be hard pressed to provide the usual support that they normally provide,” Green said.

“So, we've been in discussion with the Jamaica Agricultural Society, with our stakeholders internally, and what we want to do this year is to have a one-day show that will focus on our farmers. We'll focus on resilience and rebuilding; we'll do a combination of things like seminars about disaster preparedness, about disaster recovery and also offer various discounts, incentives that our farmers can benefit from,” he added.

The Minister also informed that a window will be established where farmers who have not yet received assistance and whose farms have been damaged will be able to give that information, “so that we can channel some support to them”.

- JIS News

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