Pests and diseases destroyed more than a third of Mozambican agricultural plantations, and losses from lost crops could reach 19 billion meticals (US $ 300 million), the Council of Ministers spokesperson said Tuesday in Maputo Administration of Culture and Tourism.
Ana Comoana said at the end of the meeting of the government members that the corn has been attacked by the funnel caterpillar, the coconut tree for the “lethal yellowing”, the banana for the disease of Panama and the tomato for the mining caterpillar.
The spokeswoman said authorities were vigilant about the risk of lethal necrosis of maize found in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan and also noted the presence of the fruit fly in virtually all provinces.
He also said that more than 41 thousand hectares of agricultural plantations were affected by the plagues, with the loss of 3000 hectares of maize and the production of coconuts and banana recorded losses.
Ana Comoana said that the Council of Ministers approved emergency funding of 160 million meticais (US $ 2.6 million) to help farmers fight the pests and diseases that are affecting agricultural production.
