Eastern & northern provinces hit by grain borer outbreak

Dora Siliya – Agriculture Minister (Picture by Albert Mpezeni)

Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya says thousands of tons of maize have been destroyed by the large grain borer which has broken out in Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Ms Siliya says government has since suspended the movement of maize grain from infested districts to other districts as a way of preventing the further spread of the pests.

Responding to a question by Kaputa PF Member of Parliament Maxas Ng’onga who wanted to know if government was aware of the outbreak of large grain borer in northern and eastern provices , Ms Siliya told Parliament that the affected areas include Chilubi and Luwingu in the Northern Province and Chadiza, Katete and Chipata in the Eastern Province.

Ms Siliya says the Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Service Department is currently doing a national survey to determine whether this outbreak should be treated as a national disaster or not.

She says plant health inspectors have also been deployed to the affected districts as a measure to control or prevent further spread of the Large Grain Borer to other parts of the country.

Ms Siliya says another measure used to prevent further spread, is encouraging farmers whose grain is infested to treat or destroy it.