Michigan & Smiley"YOU NEED a bath" is a bit of advice quite often offered in Jamaica to persons who run into a series of unfortunate circumstances. This has nothing to do with the person's hygiene for that would be a major insult. It is in fact a teasing but concerned reference to the practice carried out at the 'balm yard' to ward off evil spirits. I was tempted to offer this advice to Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke at his press conference last Tuesday to announce measures to combat the devastating disease of bananas, Moko, which was recently discovered in the country.
Since this gentleman took over the reins of that ministry every conceivable disease has afflicted almost all our major crops and most of our other plants have been attacked by a wide range of insect pests. The Lethal Yellowing disease of coconuts which had ceased to be a problem for many years resurfaced with a vengeance a couple of years ago. The Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) is still at work wiping out the traditional citrus industry. The banana industry has done well so far to contain the Black Sigatoka disease which could have wiped it out if quick and sustained action had not been taken. Ginger is under threat from Rhizome Rot, the yam weevil stalled our export drive for quite a while, Ring spot disease decimated our papaya export trade and Foul Brood and the Varoa Mite put a stranglehold on our bee industry. One could easily believe that Michigan and Smiley's 1970s retributive hit song had boomeranged on Agriculture.
RATOON STUNTING DISEASE
Poor Roger, he didn't bother to mention the Ratoon Stunting Disease (RSD) of sugar cane that was discovered in Jamaica a week or two ago for the first time. That one is not nearly as important as Moko as it does not pose a threat to the survival of the crop. At worst it stunts cane growth and reduces yield but it is an additional bugbear to an ailing industry.
The Minister doesn't really need to go to the balm yard. That's why I didn't bother to suggest it because seeing him surrounded by his battery of scientists and technocrats I realised he was very much in control. The records will show that he and his team have managed all those crises remarkably well indeed. The citrus industry will not die although all the susceptible trees will go eventually. He was successful in getting a Citrus Replanting Project going, including legislation to ensure that only certified resistant seedlings are used in the programme. In addition, a large pool of funds with reasonable lending rates was provided. Similarly, the Black Sigatoka Disease, long feared because of its devastating effect in other countries, was contained at much lower cost than anticipated when it eventually came. Mrs. Janet Coney, Director of Research at the Banana Board, who managed the control programme, was at his side and convinced that Moko will fare no better than did Black Sigatoka.
RECENT HISTORY
That is recent history. The records also remind us that at an earlier time the banana industry was similarly threatened by a dangerous disease, the Panama Disease. This one in the 1940s wiped out completely the most famous breed of bananas ever produced here. Old-timers will tell you that there has never been a tastier fruit than the Gros Michel, nor has there been since. Small pockets of that breed survived but because of its susceptibility to the Panama Disease it cannot be produced again on a commercial scale. The point is that that crisis was managed and by the introduction of new and resistant varieties the industry survived and prospered. The technology is even better today and this one will, with the co-operation of the farming community, be contained as well.
Moko is not a new disease. It has been around for nearly a century and actually destroyed the banana industry in Trinidad where it was first discovered in 1911. It appeared in a number of Latin American and Caribbean countries in the 1980s, including Grenada, but it has been kept under control although not completely eradicated. Jamaica has, through its excellent plant Quarantine Service, managed to keep it out until now. The suspicion is that it slipped into the country by means of smuggled planting material, or banana fingers, or on the shoes of persons coming from countries with the disease.
Minister Clarke was also supported by Miss Carol Thomas, the Chief Plant Quarantine Officer, who seemed a bit apologetic that this one slipped in under her watch. She need not be because she has been doing an excellent job in the fight against the introduction of dangerous diseases into this country. Jamaica owes her loads of gratitude for the fearless resistance to those who would endanger our plant life by their selfish attempts to import uncertified goods and materials. Much respect to the team.
Hugh Martin is a communication specialist and farm broadcaster who can be reached at: humar@cwjamaica.com
