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Efforts to control Leaf Spot or the Yellow Sigatoka Disease intensifies


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Wednesday, November 24, 2004 - Efforts to control the spread of the Leaf Spot or the Yellow Sigatoka Disease is expected to be intensified, in order to avert a repeat of the losses the disease caused to the industry last year, and earlier in 2004.

This commitment came out of a recent meeting involving the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the directors of local banana shipping companies and the Windward Islands Banana Exporting Company (WIBDECO).

The Chief Executive Officer of WIBDECO, Mr. Bernard Cornibert said the Disease was a burning issue, occupying the attention of stakeholders at all levels of the industry.

“Towards the back end of last year and coming into the beginning of this year we had a leaf spot problem, which cost the industry a lot of money in particular, WIBDECO. We have had to bear the brunt of the cost and it is in the interest of all of us to try to avoid a similar situation from happening this year”, Mr. Cornibert said.

He further explained that the leaf spot fungus severely limited the production levels of bananas, aggravating an already acute cash flow problem in the industry, particularly the availability of funds to procure inputs.

Mr. Cornibert said, “However, at the beginning of this year when we sustained all the leaf spot and huge losses, this had a very negative impact on our cash flow and therefore, when you are faced with that kind of situation you have to tighten up.

One a brighter note the WIBDECO CEO said that there had been a gradual improvement in the area of procurement of supplies for farmers.

 


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