Sugar cane smut found

AGRICULTURE and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll has declared Ramu Valley in Morobe a “disease area” in order to contain a sugar cane disease detected there.
He made the declaration in a newspaper advertisement last Friday after the Ramu Agri Industries Ltd (Rail) reported an occurrence of smut at its sugar cane production fields to the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (Naqia) on Aug 2.
“Rail reported the occurrence of sugar cane smut at their production fields to Naqia and sought assistance to confirm the detection of the disease and assist in implementing quarantine measures as in the emergency response plan for sugar cane smut,” Tomscoll said.
“Specimens of the fungus have been sent to Australia for further confirmation using molecular tests.
“Currently, scientists from Naqia and Rail are conducting delimiting surveys in districts bordering Rail production areas.
“Follow up delimiting surveys will be conducted nationwide to determine the extent of spread or distribution of the disease in other parts of the country.
“Sugar cane smut is a serious disease and will have a significant impact on the biodiversity of sugar cane and related species in PNG, besides other implications.
“The immediate concern is to prevent its spread from Rail to neighbouring provinces.
“Rail and Naqia have started to implement a containment programme which will continue.”