11 Jan 2017

The nation has been called to cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security personnel as well as boarder gates authorities to assist in controlling the tomato leaf miner pest.

The call was made by the agriculture minister Mr Patrick Ralotsia on Tuesday saying Botswana was faced with agriculture diseases, both plant and animals.

The tomato leaf miner pest has resulted in the prohibition of fruits and seedlings crops like sweet and chili pepper, tomato, potato, eggplant and tobacco leaves and plants as well as tomato family members into the country.

“The diseases do not necessarily originate from Botswana while some are brought in by travelers unintentionally and some brought in intentionally by individuals,” he said during the commissioning of the bio security machine in Ramatlabama.

He said Botswana was faced with tomato leaf miner pest which is considered a serious threat and destructive to tomato plants and fruits.

Minister Ralotsia noted that the pest seems to have spread in the country.

Therefore, he said there was need to control and contain the pest that was already in the country urging Batswana to cooperate in ensuring that the pest was not allowed any further.

He said Batswana as well as visitors should be aware of products which are prohibited in the country, as the country was still working on controlling the tomato leaf miner.

He urged all travellers and visitors to always get messages from the bio security gadgets at boarder gates as relevant and new information will be communicated through the gadget with regard to the tomato leaf miner pest as well as other related messages for ensuring security on agriculture in Botswana.

Meanwhile in an interview plant protection officer in the ministry Mr Mogomotsi Moatswi, indicated that they have intercepted the tomato leaf miner which he said was a quarantine pest of economical importance.

He indicated that the tomato leaf miner interception jeopardised international market and local distribution.

Mr Moatswi said they have intercepted the pest in all districts of Botswana, saying the ministry has now quarantined the whole country from all access from external movement of food of solanaceae family.

He further noted that the pest was damaging specie that eats at the leaves and even go deeper to the stems and form galleries as well as the fruit making it of low quality.

He also said it could also survive in other plants like cowpeas; saying it is something that farmers should also guard against.

Mr Moatswi said it is for everyone to be alert of this pest as it is not only a problem for the ministry.

He indicated that already the impact of the tomato leaf miner is evident with prices now high and shelves sometime empty in retail stores.

He said at the moment the ministry has closed down all import of these vegetables in efforts to control and contain the pest.

 He further said they have also deployed personnel in boarders especially that those who do not have bio security machines, to avail information and any clarity regarding this scourge.

He encouraged Batswana and visitors to declare all animal and plant products origin they come in with to the country so that they are assisted accordingly and advised on what is prohibited and not.

He also said farmers and all concerned should observe all bio security procedures and protocols at all boarder gates.

Moatswi also reminded the nation that with the interception of this pest, the Ministry has introduced the Statutory Amendment to the Plant Protection Act Cap 35.05 which is a statutory instrument number 144 of 2016 which illustrates the tuta absoluta host; explaining that it will be illegal to bring in anything that is prohibited into the country. ENDS