Sir N. Stewart Sandemanasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps are being taken to combat the black-spot banana disease, the increase of which is causing great anxiety in Jamaica?
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§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreThe existence of "leaf spot" or sigatoka disease has unfortunately been reported in most of the Colonies in the West Indian area as well as in Jamaica, but the actual damage which has so far been caused by it is not regarded as serious. The principal damage caused by it has been in foreign countries in Central and South America where conditions are somewhat different from those in Jamaica. The position is being watched with the greatest care by the Colonial Departments of Agriculture concerned. The advice of the Imperial Mycological Institute and the Colonial Advisory Council of Agriculture and Animal Health has been obtained on the subject, and in particular on the control measures to be adopted.