The Dominican Ministry of Agriculture has announced a rehabilitation plan for all plantations infected by Black Sigatoka, a pest that affects banana and plantain crops. Initially 12,124 hectares will be replaced in the provinces of Valverde, Montecristi, Santiago and Azua.
Minister of Agriculture Luis Ramon Rodriguez has created a Commission for the Integrated Handling of Black Sigatoka in the Dominican Republic, responsible for enforcing the resolution to replace plantations that are not being appropriately managed.
The resolution, number 74-12, allows for the hiring of 24 ten-person teams for a period of two months to replace 4,163 hectares of plants infected by Black Sigatoka in Valverde, 3,961 in Montecristi, 1,500 in Santiago and 2,500 in Azua, which the Ministry will prepare for planting new plants and alternative crops.
Finally, plantain and banana plantation owners must provide access to their lands to enable the agricultural advisors to do their work.
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