Tunis: Eleven million dinars were earmarked for the fight against cochineal bugs, invasive insects destroying prickly pear plantations, said official in charge of plant health and quality control of agricultural inputs at the Ministry of Agriculture Mohamed Rabhi Hajlaoui.

The ministry set up a unit of control and monitoring of the implementation of the protocol on the fight against this bug in the ten governorates where its appearance was reported, namely Mahdia, Monastir, Sousse, Kairouan, Sidi Bouzid, Sfax, Kasserine, Siliana, Zaghouan and Nabeul.

There are four programmes targeting badly hit regions under this protocol which, he added, was amended several times. Under the first programme, it is mandatory to use cactus) as forage for livestock before the bugs appear and treating cactus to avoid the spread of the insect.

The second programme provides for fighting against cochineal bugs in areas where the rate of contamination ranges between 30% and 40%. Prevention in healthy areas in Kasserine and the Ca
p Bon region at the core of the third programme.

The fourth programme set the sustainable fight against this devastating insect as a goal as it provides for replanting new varieties resistant cactus varieties and introducing the ladybug, predatory bugs.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse