Katsina – Experts from the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have commenced research on a disease called ‘’Aluta Absoluta’’ that destroys tomatoes rapidly in Katsina State.
Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu, the Managing Director, Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KTARDA), disclosed this in Katsina on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
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said the experts had visited tomato farms in southern parts of the state and took samples of the damaged crops for experimentation.
“It is a butter fly that would lay eggs on tomato; before you know it the eggs mature and begin to eat the leaves.
“Whenever tomato is attacked by such insects, the crop dies quickly.
“It is also spreading very fast and kills only tomatoes in the affected farm, “ he said.
The managing director said that there was no treatment for the disease yet.
He said government had urged the institute to come up with measures on prevention and treatment of the disease.
He disclosed that the state government was planning to establish a tomato processing factory in the state through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Shehu said the establishment of the factory would create job opportunities for the people, boost tomato production and improve the revenue of both the government and farmers.
The managing director urged farmers to report any disease outbreak to the nearest extension workers for necessary action. (NAN)