REGION BEING WARNED OF POSSIBLE NEW DISEASE

Plant protection officials in the Caribbean are heightening their vigilance about a new plant disease.

It is called Fusarium Tropical Race 4.

Plant Production Protection Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization sub-regional office in Barbados, Vyjayanthi Lopez, tells ABS how crucial it is to be on guard.

She says day three of a crucial workshop being held here in Antigua will focus on how to prevent this disease coming into the Caribbean and if it does how to eradicate or manage it.

Lopez says it’s similar to the Panama Disease which was Tropical Race 1.

She says a lot of bio security measures have to be put in place.