Kenya capsicum produce to the European Union faces a ban following the emergence of a new and deadly pest that has wrecked havoc in parts of the country.
Farmers in pepper growing areas of Naivasha, Athi River, Kitengela, Isinya and some parts of Central Kenya have been placed on high alert following the outbreak of the False Codling Moth. Incidentally no known pesticide has been identified to deal with the new threat which has already seen capsicum produce from Uganda banned from the EU market.
The moth whose scientific name is Thaumatotibia has shifted from citrus to capsicum produce and there are fears that it could spread to roses. The new threat comes at a time when the country is trying to grapple with the effects of the tomato disease (tuta absoluta) which has destroyed the crop across the country.
According to experts and the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, no known treatment for the pest has been identified. The Thaumatotibia (FCM) which is not a quarantine pest has seen EU members embark on the process of enacting a law against any produce contaminated with the insect.
This emerged during a sanitary and phytosanitary workshop for agronomists and fresh produce exporters organised by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and FPEAK. According to Samuel Kagumba, a sanitary and phytosanitary consultant, the FCM pest was one of the major challenges facing fresh produce market to the EU.
He noted that the neighbouring Uganda had been hard hit by the pest with its produce to the EU been intercepted and rejected in the airports. “The pest is rated among the five major pests affecting trade in Kenya and its emergence means an increase in inspection frequency on Kenyan fresh produce,” he said.
Kagumba noted that the EU wanted any commodity with pests banned from its market while terming the magnitude of the pest as high. He challenged the Ministry of Agriculture to conduct national surveillance so that the pest distribution could be assessed.
FPEAK technical manager Francis Wario noted that the horticulture sector stood to lose Sh60 billion due to stringent rules imposed by EU on fresh produce.
He noted that fresh Kenyan produce was facing a resistant EU market due to technical reasons like food safety, pests, quarantine and the growing environment.
He noted that there was need to urgently train farmers on how to deal with emerging pests and which chemicals to use. “The market is concerned about the maximum residual levels in fresh produce and there is need to engage farmers on these standards,” he said.