Tuta absoluta now also in Namibia

Tuta absoluta, a pest that damages tomato plants, potatoes, egg plant and green pepper has been detected in Namibia, players in the horticulture industry confirmed. The pest originates from South America and has been spreading through African countries of late.

In a letter to farmers, Starke Ayres Namibia said the bug has been detected on tomato plants in Namibia.

The letter said Clinton Krull, a tomato specialist from Starke Ayres in East London, South Africa visited Windhoek on 10 September to meet the farmers and assess the damage. “It became clear that this is not an isolated case, but a full-blown outbreak of Tuta absoluta around the Grootfontein area,” the letter said.

In a separate interview, Charles Krone, general manager at Starke Ayres Namibia said the outbreak was very serious and that the disease has now spread to the south of the country. He said although the outbreak may affect tomato supply, it can be contained if farmers take the necessary measures to stop its spread.

Read more at The Namibian