Snail Programme Remains on Ice

Details

Environment Articles

Monday, 10 September 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John's - The Giant African Snail continues its steady spread towards Christian Valley and Bolans as the Ministry of Agriculture's control programme remains shelved.

The Plant Protection Unit, which has been spearheading the fight, has no transportation and bait, Plant Protection Officer Dr Janil Gore-Francis has revealed.

"We haven’t done much work for the year due to challenges. There are no resources to do what we need to do," Dr Gore-Francis said.

The pest, which destroys fruits and vegetables, was first identified here in April 2008 in the Jolly Hill/Bolans area near the Caribbean Lighthouse radio station.

It has now been confirmed in Gray’s Farm, Burma and Cooks.

"In Gray’s Farm, we believe that was because of human movement because people were removing stuff from the infested area," the officer said.

The programme holdup has allowed the snails time to lay more eggs. One snail can lay up to 1,200 eggs a year.

"Getting bait has always been a problem. The company bringing it in were willing to purchase it and get paid after, but now they’re requesting the funds upfront," the unit boss said.

"We're now trying to get farmers and homeowners to purchase the bait themselves."

The ministry has received assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation for the provision of bags to help collect the snails, as well as gloves.

The unit had initiated a collection programme to reduce the snail production, within that time collecting almost 200,000.

That initiative was subsequently shelved.

On another issue, the head of the Plant Protection Unit said Antigua & Barbuda remains free of the Black Sigatoka disease that continues to wreak havoc on some Caribbean islands like Dominica.

Early last month, authorities instituted border control measures to protect against the disease that kills plantain and banana plants.

“We haven't seen any symptoms to indicate we have it,” Dr Gore-Francis said.

Independence Recipe Yesterday my friend Bob and brother living here in the Fort Lauderdale area asked me to come with him to the Antigua Independence Happy Hour at the br... read more

The unit stipulated that personal consignments of bananas and plantains from Dominica are prohibited though commercial consignments are allowed.

A ban has been placed on the importation of mangoes and guavas from the Caribbean country.

• < Prev
• Next >