The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the commencement of the Black Sigatoka Spray Cycles which is scheduled to begin next week.

While most of the country is ready to begin, the Ministry is seeking a contractor for the Southern part of the island inclusive of Warner, Grandbay and Soufriere.

Coordinator of the Black Sigatoka Disease Management Program, Carol Abraham, says that while the long dry spell recently experienced aids in controlling the disease, the spray cycle must also be done. Further, the Ministry has also given core farmers special chemicals to help reduce the presence of the disease. She says that an emulsion (oil and water) will be used in the process.

“Some of the farmers can’t understand that this works. You can do a cycle with an emulsion where you mix your Sticker with the oil, you stir for some time then you add your chemical and water. It’s a constant agitation that’s required”. Abraham says that farmers must not forget to include cultural practices in the fight against the disease and to use chemicals as a last resort. She says, “Feed your plants and maintain your place and you should get a production”.

Abraham says that she is proud of the work of the team in managing the disease as Sigatoka has not kept back production in Dominica.

“I want to think that we are doing good…Sigatoka  has not kept us back in terms of production. We have production. People can vouch for that. There are a lot of ripe bananas in the supermarkets, there are green bananas. We are able to ship, so we have managed diseases and we just have to continue doing what we are doing”.

The Ministry is appealing to farmers to deleaf plants in preparation for the spray cycles. Abraham stresses the importance of deleafing plants correctly with leaves turned upside down. She says further that brush cutting is the preferred method in weed removal.