Govt Issues Quarantine On Bananas

THE Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has issued a quarantine on selling and moving bananas from Ntunda in Mukono district and Nazigo in Kayunga following an outbreak of the banana wilt disease.Nicholas Kajoba reports that the 45-day quarantine was announced by minister Kisamba Mugerwa while touring the affected areas on Tuesday.He was accompanied by state minister for agriculture Dr. Kibirige Ssebunya, agriculture commissioners, Mukono district LC5 chairperson Joseph Kanakulya Banga, Resident District Commissioner Charles Mubiru and councillors.Kisamba advised residents to cut down and bury the infected banana plants to stop the disease from spreading. “we have decided to declare a 45-day quarantine on movement and selling of bananas from the area to minimise the spread of the disease to other parts.’’ he said.In November last year the disease was reported in Uganda and confirmed to be caused by Enset wilt bacteria.Ends