Team Herald
MAPUSA: The Goa Green Brigade and affected farmers from the State have requested for action against whitefly infestation.
The Goa Green Brigade has written to the Department of Agriculture, Minister for Agriculture and the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) to act in the matter.
This infestation causes damages to coconut trees and horticultural crops. It has already made its appearance at coconut plantations in Pilar, Old Goa, Margao and Betalbatim.
The Green Brigade has sought urgent steps to combat the widespread infestation of whitefly in Goa using organic and non-toxic sprays including the use of neem based solutions to prevent loss of coconut trees and its yields.
On Friday, there was a meeting at ICAR, Old Goa where a delegation from Goa Green Brigade and Nestor Rangel, a leading farmer promoting growing of organic brown rice, had a meeting with a scientist from ICAR, Dr Manithandurai R and the Assistant Director from the Department of Agriculture, and Kishor Bhave along with the affected farmers to find a long-term solution to the Rugose Spiralling Whitefly problem in Goa.
The members of Goa Green Brigade underlined the need to tackle the Whitefly without damaging the biodiversity of the trees.
Green Brigade coordinator Avertino Miranda highlighted that there was a need for urgent measures to be taken to prevent the whitefly from entering through the borders of Goa. “They need to put up appropriate 24×7 testing and checking points at the borders during the transportation of coconut and coconut saplings. There is also an urgent need for appropriate anti-whitefly spraying should be taken up,” Avertino said.
The letter also requested for agricultural teams to be formed to tackle the whitefly menace in a comprehensive manner and a helpline number be announced by Goa’s Agriculture Department and steps be taken up in collaboration with ICAR and other agricultural agencies where the farmers can take immediate help and complaints can be addressed without any delays.
Green Brigade member Roshan Mathias pointed out that the spread of whitefly infestation was a danger as it could finish the coconut crop in the State.
“If adult coconut trees get infected, it will be damaged to an extent that we will have to wait for the young coconut trees to grow to a sizable size and give coconuts. Till then we will have to import coconuts for consumption. It is high time some action is taken and some preventive measure adopted so this whitefly infestation does not reach the other places,” Roshan said.
