The Black Sigatoka fungus is threatening banana harvests in the southeastern Dominican Republic. According to Hoy there was an increase in the spread of the infestation once the hurricane season ended and an estimated 20,000 tareas (12,580,000 square meters) of banana farmland has been affected. As a result the Agriculture Ministry has begun educating local farmers on how to prevent the spread of the disease and protect their crops. Farmers are being shown how to dispose of infected plants and on the use of pesticides.