Montecristi, Dominican Republic. - A large number of the Northwest’s banana plantations have been considerably damaged by the Sigatoka fungus, with losses in the millions sustained by hundreds of Valverde and Montecristi province farmers.
Farmers and banana growers in the communities Doña Antonia, Hatillo, La Palma, Guajaca, Villalobos, Villa Sinda, Castañuelas, Villa Vásquez, Guayubín, Amina, Cana Chapetón, Cerro Gordo among others complain that that the plague in their plantations has taken them to bankruptcy.
They said the situation has forced them to seek government help and thanked the crop dusting paid by the region’s banana growers associations and helped by technicians of the Agriculture Ministry, whose director Salvador Jiménez on Friday sent 740 liters of fungicide and pledged a similar amount in the next few days.
Banana growers reportedly lose more than RD$7.0 million every week from the damages caused by the disease caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis.
From: United States, New York City
Uh oh..the Great Dominican Platano Famine of 2012 is on hand.
From: United States, Omnipresence
It's all monkey business if ya ask me...
Written by: xwill7, 31 Jan 2012 1:57 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
Platano con salami
Written by: yumnuk3, 31 Jan 2012 2:30 PM
From: United States, ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨
Why should government find a cure? The companies in the banana industry are failing to protect their own commercial interests. It Should be the industry's responsibility to protect their own.
The banana production and export companies should have hired biologists to find a cure for the disease that threatens the core of their existence.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
yes I agree it is the reponsibility of the growers but neverthe less I hope the government prevents the disease spreading by crop dusting all neighbouring plantations
From: United States
i think that this is the year of the fungus. i have seen some grotesque looking tangerines this year. the peels have all been horrendously discolored, and they look nothing like the batch from last year. wonder what the heck is going on.
Written by: antonio1, 31 Jan 2012 8:08 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Av Santa Rosa, La Romana
deleted
From: United States
This is very sad indeed. I agree the growers assoc. should use more effort in finding the cure, but I believe the scale of this fungus (disease) is much more than what they are saying/ or even know.
Even back yard gardens that have bananas growing are affected and this is not an isolated issue, it is on the whole island, Haiti included. What will this country do with out its cash crop?
The Gov, needs to boost inoculation efforts but I also believe it is too much of a scale for even them to handle the situation. Simple crop dusting WILL NOT prevent the spread of this, as it is widely believed. What are you going to crop dust the whole island??
Bananas are grown from Rhizomes, which live in the ground. It is in the genetic makeup of these rhizomes that are diseased. Crop dusting is not enough.
So, what next? Genetically modified crops?? A new species of banana coming from the lab?
This is scary in a country where regulation is practically nil.
Plaintains are not affected, I think
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 8:12 AM
From: Australia
Find Sigatoka an put him in jail?
GM may provide a fungus-resistant crop, and some resistant customers too. However banana-republic without bananas = failed-state.
Written by: josean, 1 Feb 2012 12:42 PM
From: United States, Show your Love for DR Vote AGAINST the PLD!
I believe the METRO, that has drained ALL the natioanl resources, is Sigatoka free!
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 6:05 PM
From: Australia
Josean, the Metro is a reality. It can't be sent back for a refund, so what do you want the government to do with it?
Written by: josean, 1 Feb 2012 10:05 PM
From: United States, Show your Love for DR Vote AGAINST the PLD!
"so what do you want the government to do with it?"
The same thing they ae doing with the Faro a Colon or the Super Tucanos, or the Harley Davidson Motorcycles, absolutely NOTHING!
From: Dominican Republic
Anyone know the history of Black leaf here?? has it been a problem before?
As it's origins are the Pacific Islands and is commonly spend between countries from imported plants, leaves, bananas or spores on something brought in from affected area.
One reason some countries have a 0 import on bananas...
From: United States, words of wisdom from the nutcracker
Would not be suprised if monsantos seeds are in involed in this
Written by: RoyStone, 3 Feb 2012 12:22 PM
From: Australia
josean, what's with the Harleys? Surely the Hells Angels are not government-funded?
(Saw I whole swarm of them at Carnival in La Vega last year. They almost drowned out the sound-systems when they started up.)
From: Dominican Republic
I am sorry but why would a question get a - put to it..........
if you have something negative about a very simple question then have the balls to join in the topic and answer, let us hear your insight ..
I think we only need three guesses to who it is...
Written by: josean, 3 Feb 2012 4:00 PM
From: United States, Show your Love for DR Vote AGAINST the PLD!
"josean, what's with the Harleys?"
Roy,
Lie-onel and the rest of the PLD geniuses bought a fleet of Hogs to patrol the barrios later to the find they were not so nimble or maneuverable in the alleys we call streets in the high crime ridden areas.
Last I heard the were cruising up down the highway between Santo Calcutta and Santiago.
Although they could currently be gathering dust along with the other great adventure called Super Tucanos!
Written by: RoyStone, 3 Feb 2012 7:21 PM
From: Australia
josean, that would explain why I have never seen any in use. Were they sold off (informally) to the Hells Angels?
Written by: RoyStone, 3 Feb 2012 7:24 PM
From: Australia
Good question, stillhere, someone just has a mindless gripe. Maybe is says something about the mindset that degrades this country?
Written by: RoyStone, 6 Feb 2012 2:23 PM
From: Australia
Amanda28,
If you have a hidden agenda here, you need to hide it better.
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Why should government find a cure? The companies in the banana industry are failing to protect their own commercial interests. It Should be the industry's responsibility to protect their own.
The banana production and export companies should have hired biologists to find a cure for the disease that threatens the core of their existence.
Even back yard gardens that have bananas growing are affected and this is not an isolated issue, it is on the whole island, Haiti included. What will this country do with out its cash crop?
The Gov, needs to boost inoculation efforts but I also believe it is too much of a scale for even them to handle the situation. Simple crop dusting WILL NOT prevent the spread of this, as it is widely believed. What are you going to crop dust the whole island??
Bananas are grown from Rhizomes, which live in the ground. It is in the genetic makeup of these rhizomes that are diseased. Crop dusting is not enough.
So, what next? Genetically modified crops?? A new species of banana coming from the lab?
This is scary in a country where regulation is practically nil.
Plaintains are not affected, I think
GM may provide a fungus-resistant crop, and some resistant customers too. However banana-republic without bananas = failed-state.
I believe the METRO, that has drained ALL the natioanl resources, is Sigatoka free!
"so what do you want the government to do with it?"
The same thing they ae doing with the Faro a Colon or the Super Tucanos, or the Harley Davidson Motorcycles, absolutely NOTHING!
As it's origins are the Pacific Islands and is commonly spend between countries from imported plants, leaves, bananas or spores on something brought in from affected area.
One reason some countries have a 0 import on bananas...
(Saw I whole swarm of them at Carnival in La Vega last year. They almost drowned out the sound-systems when they started up.)
if you have something negative about a very simple question then have the balls to join in the topic and answer, let us hear your insight ..
I think we only need three guesses to who it is...
"josean, what's with the Harleys?"
Roy,
Lie-onel and the rest of the PLD geniuses bought a fleet of Hogs to patrol the barrios later to the find they were not so nimble or maneuverable in the alleys we call streets in the high crime ridden areas.
Last I heard the were cruising up down the highway between Santo Calcutta and Santiago.
Although they could currently be gathering dust along with the other great adventure called Super Tucanos!
If you have a hidden agenda here, you need to hide it better.