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CREES: No word yet from EPA on fungicide
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Posted on May 02 2005
Farmers affected by the deadly disease that has almost wiped out their betel nut farms would have to wait a little longer for the much-awaited cure.
The Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service director Anthony Benavente said he is still waiting for a response from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C, to make available fungicides to combat the Phytophthora meadii fungi, also known as bud rot disease.
Benavente said he has still not forwarded the application for fungicides Kocide 45 LF and Fosphite mainly because NMC-CREES has yet to receive the number from EPA required to file the application.
“I contacted them again today waiting for them to respond and we’re still waiting,” he said.
Division of Environment Quality already signed and approved the application of NMC-CREES last month to use and purchase the said chemicals for the betel nut trees.
Benavente said he could not tell for sure when NMC-CREES could finally obtain the EPA number because, he said, it is taking longer that what he had expected.
He also said he has communicated with EPA offices in Hawaii and San Francisco recently to follow up on NMC-CREES’ request, but so far both offices have not contacted him for any updates.
As of this date, Benavente said he has not heard anything from the betel nut growers in the CNMI with regards to the continuous ill effects of the disease, which has killed thousands of betel nut trees in the Commonwealth.
“Thankfully, it’s not really serious condition at this time. We are just waiting for the fungicides…we don’t want to wait until it’s too late,” he said.
So far the spread of the disease has affected the villages of Dandan, Rapugao Hill, As Lito, As Mahetog, Capitol Hill, Donne, Kagman, Papago, Tanapag, San Vicente, and Mt. Tapochao.
