Late Blight Irish -Potato Disease Renders Farmers Poor Yield In Plateau

Yakubu Busari

Irish-Potato Farmers in Plateau State are in a desperate move to survive the harsh economic reality of lives , as many didn’t subscribe to government programs of “Potato Value Change,” that was introduced.

The Chairman of the Irish -Potato Traders /Marketers Association of Nigeria, Plateau State Chapter Mr. Pam Choji described the government programs as political misplacement of priority because none of their members is a beneficiary of the gesture.

The Chairman disclosed that early blight is generally more severe when potatoes are produced in monoculture when old infected seed pieces are used for planting, and not spread when effective diseases management programs are not developed and implemented; adding the deficiency of healthy seed materials;

• Faulty agrotechnics;

• Poor phytosanitary conditions and risks of spreading of a large number of harmful organisms;

• Lack of knowledge of Late Blight symptoms and innovative methods to control.

In the current situation despite potatoes’ importance in the diet and culture, yields remain low in Plateau state at roughly 12 t / hectare.

According to him, one of the reasons for the low harvest is the late Blight potatoes failure of farmers to spread it at an earlier stage, and in general, the following factors contribute to the spread of Late blight.

He made this known in an interview with our medium in Jos, Mr. Choji says the association this year’s farming season didn’t have a bumper harvest owing to an outbreak of disease which affected the yield as his members are counting their losses.

He said Potato farmers in Plateau state alleged diversion of fertilizer by government officials which made the price to rise up N35,000.00 per bag, lambasting govt officials over potato value change, where he said no farmer sold to recover his money.

The Irish Potato farmers expressed fear that blight disease destroyed all their farms and most of them, especially in Vom , district of Jos South LGA are more affected than in the previous years.

He stated that this year’s climate affected the yield by rendering farmers helpless with pressure most of them are counting their losses and they’re finding it very difficult to purchase seedlings and fertilizer which reduces the amount of production.

Choji reiterated that the cost of Irish Potato fertilizer 201010 now goes from N17,000.00 to N18,000.00 which is the medium-small side.

He said, we have embarked on joint research in conjunction with extension workers, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the institute of crops production in Vom to get their input.

Pam Choji added that their major constraint now is those families that were badly affected, they can afford 3 square meals so they have to skip how to feed themselves.

He called on the government to take proactive measures how to tackle the potato diseases because it is a major income generation to Plateau State but abandoning the farmers is a serious issue in Aso Rock they are eating the same Potato.