Question NW725 to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION
13 April 2017 - NW725
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION
On what date was his department first informed of the presence of the fall armyworm (FAW) in South Africa, (b) (b) on what date did his department make positive confirmation of the presence of FAW in South Africa, (c) (c) how many hectares of (i) maize, (ii) soya bean and (iii) sugar cane crops have been lost due to the FAW to date? NW784E
Reply:
a) DAFF was first informed on 19 January 2017 by the ARC Grain Crops Institute through Grain SA that they had collected larvae (caterpillars) that resemble Fall Armyworm.
b) DAFF was informed by the ARC Biosystematics Division on 3 February 2017 of the positive identification of the larvae collected at various areas (which had at that passed through the pupa stage of their lifecycle and emerged as adult moths) that the pest is indeed the Fall Armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda).
c) (i) DAFF received no loss reports from role players, i.e. of losses due to FAW, but FAW was reported by role players to be detected in planted maize of about 11000ha.
(ii) & (iii) No FAW cases have been confirmed in South Africa from Soya or Sugarcane.