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Betel but growers to be taught on pesticide use
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Posted on Aug 16 2005
Betel nut farmers whose crops have been devastated by the bud rot disease will convene for a series of workshop starting next month where they will be taught how to use the chemicals needed to prevent the spread of the disease.
Also, the $30,000 funding that the government provided to buy the needed chemicals was officially turned over yesterday to the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service.
NMC-CREES agriculture research extension associate director Ray MacDuff said the funding was released on Friday last week.
Now that the money has been finally remitted, MacDuff said the extension office would have to gather the betel nut growers to teach and inform them on how to properly use the chemicals that will be used to fight the disease, which has already killed thousands of betel nut trees on the island.
He said they would have to fix the dates for this workshop by next month.
Department of Lands and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Seman handed the $30,000 check to NMC president Antonio V. Deleon Guerrero yesterday at the Board of Regents office. Seman said his office will work with the college in winning the battle against the bud rot disease.
Agriculture consultant Isidoro Cabrera clarified yesterday that the chemical Fosphite he ordered will reach Guam by Aug. 23 and would take another week to reach the shores of Saipan, but as soon as it gets here, he said they would have to move fast to prevent the continuing spread of the disease.
