Poor maize crop expected due to erratic rainfall and fall armyworm
According to a special alert issued by the World Food Programme, SA has reported a 22% decline in area planted this season
A sharp drop in SA’s maize crop is expected‚ due to poor rainfall and fall armyworm.The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said on Friday that Southern Africa was being affected by prolonged dry spells‚ erratic rainfall‚ high temperatures and the presence of the fall armyworm‚ which have significantly dampened the current agricultural season’s cereal production prospects."Early action in the form of consolidating information through assessments, and anticipatory measures that reduce the impact of threats are crucial for an effective response‚" the UN agency said.Fall armyworm‚ which first emerged last season‚ is spreading‚ it said. The pest is now present across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), except for Mauritius and Lesotho. Partial fall armyworm monitoring has pointed to Malawi as the hotspot in the 2017-18 season‚ and the country has since declared a national disaster."The FAO concludes that the damage may already have been done. Whether the dry spells co...
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