Destructive pest threatens Christmas veg crop

Consumers face potential shortages of okra, beans and sorrel this Christmas, as a highly destructive new pest is eating its way through farms, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Friday, raising fears of price hikes and supply disruptions during the peak holiday season.

Senior Agricultural Officer Bret Taylor told Barbados TODAY that the culprit is the Indian cotton jassid, a fast-spreading planthopper officially identified through laboratory testing in the UK. The pest was first detected in Spring Hall, St Lucy, in March 2024, but Taylor said farmers had been battling unexplained damage to their crops for months before it was officially reported.

He described the situation as serious and escalating, warning that without swift management, the pest could further disrupt supplies and drive up prices of key local produce during the peak holiday season.

Taylor explained that the tiny green insect feeds on the undersides of leaves, sucking plant sap and injecting toxins that cause crinkling, curling and bronzing of the foliage. As the damage worsens, leaves dry out, fruiting declines and yields plummet.

He said the pest presents particular challenges because okra is harvested every other day, limiting the use of harsh chemical controls.

Taylor explained: “How do you control a pest without using a harsh chemical because you have to pick every other day? That’s why we recommend that farmers recognise what the issue is early and manage it before the harvesting stage, so they don’t have to use those harsh chemicals and can still maintain production.”

The Indian cotton jassid is not new to the Caribbean, having already been confirmed in Antigua, St Kitts and Grenada.

Taylor explained that while the pest was previously known to attack cotton, it was not until March last year that it was officially linked to damage to food crops.

The insect is believed to have heavily affected last year’s 2024 cotton harvest here before spreading to other crops within the same plant family, Malvaceae, which made the transition easier and allowed it to multiply rapidly, the official added.

“It is the same hopper that was affecting cotton,” Taylor said. “This insect not only affects okra, it affects sorrel and beans as well. The host range is expanding.”

Since its arrival, the pest has had no natural enemies locally, allowing it to spread quickly, the agriculture official said, adding that the ministry is monitoring whether biological control agents — natural predators — are beginning to emerge, as has occurred elsewhere in the region.

Taylor warned that the pest’s spread could have economic consequences, particularly as okra and beans are staple and cash crops, and sorrel is in high demand during the Christmas season.

“It would be of major concern to us because remember, okra is a staple. Bajans love cou-cou and flying fish — it’s our national dish,” he said. “Last year we saw an increase in the price of okra. But it’s not only okra; we’re going into the Christmas season when people are going to want sorrel, and it can affect the yield of sorrel as well.”

Samples were sent to a British laboratory for analysis, but Taylor said it is now impossible to determine how the pest entered the island.

“It was previously known to be in another Caribbean island,” he explained. “When we started to see the symptoms, we sent off the samples and pictures and recognised that it was also here.”

Invasive pests pose a major threat to national food security, as they have no natural enemies and can devastate entire crop systems within months. Barbados has recorded about 30 invasive species over the past 25 years, most of them arriving on ornamental plants.

One of the most damaging, the senior agriculture officer said, is the croton scale, which has spread from crotons to breadfruit, golden apple, mangoes, plums and soursop, causing sooty mould and attracting ants.

“That pest is of particular concern because of the wide host range it has,” Taylor said, noting that some biocontrol agents are now helping to manage its spread naturally.

He appealed to farmers and importers to follow proper procedures when bringing in plants and materials: “Please, if you are bringing things in, get an import permit. Do it the right way. Don’t smuggle in anything. You never know the harm that may do to you or may do to the country.”

He also called on farmers to stay vigilant and report unusual pest activity early: “If you begin to see something that is affecting your yields or your crop, come and say something. If you see something, please say something.”

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb