Black twig borer destroys coffee plantations in Busia

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Coffee black twig borer has invaded coffee plantations in Busia district leaving farmers counting losses.

The borer attacks the twigs rendering the plant incapable of bearing coffee beans. When a twig borer attacks a coffee plant, it creates holes in it and causes a white fungus to grow around it.

The affected farmers are in the villages of Nangwe, Busumba, Dabani East, Buyengo in Dabani sub-county, Mugashia, Bulecha, Masinya in Masinya sub-county, and Buhatuba, Bukalikha, Bukobe and Busedu in Masafu sub-county among others.

Elizaphani Nkutu, the coffee extension officer-in-charge of the Busoga sub-region says that the pests have affected the Robusta coffee variety.

Nkutu advised farmers to cut down affected coffee plants and burn them, prune unaffected ones and also decongest the coffee plantation.

Peter Wabwire, Mark Ochieng and Sam Egesa Lumonya among other farmers in Busia say that they don’t have hope of coffee harvest this season after their coffee plantations dried up.

Sam Egesa Lumonya, the chairman of Dabani Coffee Farmers Cooperative society says that the pests have destroyed over 5 acres of his coffee plantations. He says that the pests first affected a few coffee plants and he ignored them but spread to the whole plantation.

John Rex Achila, the Busia Resident District Commissioner says that a team of UCDA officials have already visited the affected areas for an assessment.

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