Management of Red Palm Mite stabilizes coconut export at Wakenaam

Jan 20, 2019 News

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Farmers of Wakenaam Island have lauded the management of the Red Palm Mite (RPM), Raoiella indica, by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) for helping to reduce losses of coconut export.
RPM is a major pest classified as an “Invasive Species”. The pest is also classified as a National Pest of Economic Importance, which could cause reduction in production, deformed fruits, and even eventual deaths of plants.
In 2015, the pest was first detected on Wakenaam Island. Quarantine methods were adopted to prevent its spread from one location to the other. However, the microscopic pest could not be contained, which led to its spread throughout main growing locations in Guyana, including the Essequibo Coast.
The NPPO, Research Department, and the Extension Support Services Department of National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute, collaboratively manage the pest programme. Services include field surveying, data collections, mapping, technical advice and training to farmers.
Currently, management practices include the use of systemic pesticides. This involves treating young plants to ensure clean materials are being transferred to new cultivation. Seedlings are fumigated with insecticides, targeted for movement from one location to the other, and there are tree injections of older and existing plants.
Tree injection methods protect existing foliage, along with plant nutrition management. This management includes but is not limited to application of requisite fertiliser annually and retention of a strategic programme.
Kaieteur News understands that a model approach is adopted on the island, with a staff member spending all of his time specifically on coconuts. This individual is fully trained to provide services. These services include identifying all materials coming into the island to ensure that they are free of mites, or quarantine methods are followed to ensure it becomes pest-free.

In addition, data is collected from each farm with respect to number of trees, new farms developed, recorded numbers of farms existing, most affected locations, sequence of treatment, and nutrition programming documentation.
The practices on the care and management of plants, involves management of other host plants, and treating brooms for external local markets, which is much more tedious.
Coconut is an important economic crop for persons living on the island. Nuts are harvested, used in oil production, water nuts for selling (even these are treated prior to leaving the island), and dried nuts for exportation, which is the major part of the business.
All harvested and peeled nuts are placed in containers, fumigated for an extended period, and reinspected. This is to alleviate any potential transfer to other locations. Trucks are even inspected to minimize carriers of the RPM.
Ramkissoon (one name) says the system is not at all long, but carefully tended to ensure that Guyana remains resilient and pertinent, where coconut is concerned.

The island exports several containers of dried nuts monthly and is a major source of income for families.
“A single nut is purchased at $25. Buyers from several districts would come and buy our nuts. Therefore, if I do 1,000 nuts per week, I earn $25,000 dollars. This alone is sufficient to ensure that I put adequate food on the table for my family,” said the grower.
The programme adopted by many farmers is due to the good work of NPPO. They have, over the years, conducted trials, complemented by the research department of the NAREI to determine the best chemicals, and then consistently distribute pesticides free to farmers, employed workers to drill holes and inject plants.
“Free distribution of pesticides is what kept us alive in the industry, we purchase fertiliser and apply once per year,” the farmer explained.
“I think that if this model is well adopted throughout Guyana, the industry is in good care to continue exportation. Coconut is a very good income earner; it is a health-food used in many delicacies. It is certainly a mainstay crop of Guyana”.
Coconut is being cultivated along the coastal line and effectively uplifts the sea defence, food, employment and tourism sector. After sugar and rice, it occupies the largest acreage on the coastal regions of Guyana. It has the potential of being a significant income earner and export crop.
For health reasons, coconut is gaining much attention around the world and Guyana can become a major contributor, as it has over the many years, but requires consistent revitalization and expertise, one farmer asserted.

 

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