Govt gets tough on crop pests, diseases

Government has announced a raft of stiff penalties for those who import plants without a permit and non-compliance with dates for destruction of crop residues.

The move is aimed at reducing the spread of pests and diseases.

Non-compliance by farmers in observing planting dates and destruction of crop residues has led to the spread of pests and diseases from one to season to another, impacting negatively on yields and quality of the produce.

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri announced the new measures in a notice  in the Government Gazette published on June 1, 2019, Statutory Instrument 121 of 2019, Plant and Pests Diseases (Importation) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (no 4).

“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water Climate and Rural Resettlement has in terms of Sections 8 and 29 of the Plant Pests and Diseases Act (Chapter 19:08) made the following regulations:

“These regulations may be cited as the Plant and Pests and Diseases (Importation) (Amendment) Regulations, 2019 No. 4.

“For importing without plant import permit, an offender will be fined US$1 000,” he said.

A penalty for non-compliance with dates for destruction of crop residues and planting of new crop for cotton, tobacco, paprika per each hectare or part of is US$100, while the penalty for fumigating non-compliant imported consignments per tonne is US$100.

The penalty for incinerating non-complaint imported consignments is US$100.

Government has on several occasions called on farmers to be responsible by adhering to regulations.

Some cotton farmers leave the stalks as a way of reducing production costs for the next season as no new seed is required.

The ratooned crop usually matures early and farmers harvest for the second time.

This compromises the quality of the crop and increases pests and diseases from one season to another.

Cotton growers in the Lowveld should destroy living stalks by August 15, while farmers from the rest of Zimbabwe should do so by September 10 every year.

The tobacco industry is under threat from the resurgence of Potato Virus Y as a result of failure by farmers to remove residues.

The Plant Pests and Diseases Act (Chapter 19:08) makes it mandatory for tobacco farmers to destroy tobacco stalks on or before May 15.

Early and complete destruction of tobacco stalks is effective in reducing carry-over of diseases and pests.

Growers are also urged to observe the planting dates, transplanting and destruction of seedbeds.

The earliest date for sowing seed is June 1, while the earliest date for transplanting is September 1.

All seedbeds are also expected to have been destroyed by December 31 every year.