Dear Editor,
Some five years ago, a NARI team carried out a soil test at my vegetable farm located on my Suddie household plot in Region 2 with the aim of determining what was causing my plants to die. After such a protracted period, the result is still to be made known to me.
The problem is that an unknown parasite in the soil is ‘eating out‘ the ‘bark’ of even grown plants – mainly boulangers, tomatoes and peppers – from under the surface of the ground, which clearly indicates that it was not being done by mole crickets known for causing damage when the plants are young.
With the symptoms being the leaves withering up before succumbing, the mystery soil disease is causing me to suffer significant financial losses, despite the use of all types of expensive drugs and other treatment recommended by representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture in the district.
Whatever advice was given to me to combat the situation was always adhered to, and just recently I was advised to apply limestone – with the cost of a 100 pound bag being three thousand dollars – boil garlic and saturate the spots before planting. I did this, but without seeing any improvements whatsoever.
All the time my frustration kept mounting, so much so that I sent a registered letter to the Agriculture Ministry for technical help, but it was just useless as I was not even favoured with a response. Following repeated complaints to the local Agricultural Department at Anna Regina about the rapid increase in the death rate of my plants, samples for another soil test were taken about two months ago, with the result still being awaited.
Planting is part of my life and to divorce me from it will be extremely difficult, but I still feel the Ministry of Agriculture owes me an obligation and not a favour to keep me abreast of the true position, whether it would be helpful or not. By keeping me in the dark, my genuine efforts to promote the grow more food campaign are doomed through no fault of my own.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy for any comment he might wish to make.
