Tomato farmers in Subukia have been confronting the menace of a pest that has mostly been chewing into the leafage of the crop. The resultant effect has been the possibility of a massive drop in the quality of the produce and obvious losses. The pest, Tuta absoluta, which crept into the country around 2016, has previously been exclusively tackled by chemical pesticides. Transforming his hobby into agribusiness, he has been growing tomatoes on a two-acre piece of land. “The major challenge for tomatoes has been Tuta absoluta,” he says.

Source: The Star June 01, 2023 12:03 UTC