By Samuel Amanyire
Farmers in the Mubuku irrigation scheme are currently yielding low and poor tomato harvests due to pests and diseases.
Huzayfa Turyamureba a farmer in phase one Mubuku irrigation scheme said that tomatoes are being affected by a pest called tomato leaf miner botanically known as tuta absuluta which makes the tomato leaves and fruits to rot hence the low production.
“I know that pest as ‘Kadwoima’ in my language. It attacks all the parts of a tomato plant but mainly the fruit, lay eggs in the fruit, develops into larva then after grows into an insect which flies all over the whole garden and the neighboring ones.” Turyamureba said.
“The insects eat up the fruit to rotting point,” he added.
Prossey Nananciibe said that no matter how much pesticide you apply on the affected tomato plants; the pests do not die adding that the insects exploit the opportunity of flying to escape to other plants.
“I am even puzzled over which pesticides I can use. I have bought different pesticides from different farm shops but none has saved my one acre of tomatoes,” she explained.
Farmers appeal to government to avail them with the right and effective pesticides adding that the current tomato yields are underpriced due to low quality tomatoes produced.
Huzayfa Turyamureba suggested that government do all it can to get for the farmers the right and effective pesticides which they can apply in their gardens to completely kill the pest but also come up with strategic measures to completely eradicate the pest out of Mubuku irrigation scheme.
Friday Bagonza a farmer in Phase 5 said that it is high time government agriculture experts came on ground to research on the this pest which has given farmers headache the fact that many farmers have used a variety of pesticides but their efforts go begging.
However, Wilberforce Rukundo a field agronomist in Mubuku Irrigation scheme confirmed that it is undoubtedly true the whole scheme is under an attack of a pest which known as tomato leaf miner botanically known as tuta absuluta which has pushed most tomato farmers in huge losses due to poor and low yields.
“It is true currently here in Mubuku irrigation scheme farmers are largely being affected by tomato leaf miner botanically known as tuta absuluta that has caused them massive losses due to the low and poor tomato harvests. Previously, a Crete of tomatoes was sold between 180,000 to 200,000 Ugandan Shillings but currently a Crete is at 45,000” Rukundo said.
“As farmer’s immediate supervisors, we have advised them to practice crop rotation as the most reliable solution to the vice for now as we twin up our heads to come up with strategic solutions to ruin the pest completely out of the scheme,” he added.
