Tuta absoluta outbreak in Egypt and Jordan reported by the press

Recent reports in the Egyptian and Jordanian press have indicated that Tuta absoluta is wide spread and causing serious financial damage to farmers in both countries In a report by the Jordanian daily news paper "Alghad" (www.alghad.com) on 19th September 2010, a number of farmers confirmed that they have over 80% damage in their farms caused by Tuta absoluta. In a separated report the prices of Tomato have recorded an increase to as high as 1 Jordanian Dinar ( 1.06) /Kg due to the shoratage of Tomata suitable for sale. The Egyptian daily news paper "Alwatanny Alyoum" www.ndp.org.eg have on the other hand published an extensive field investigation on 21st September 2010. It reported an extensive damage in farms across the country with serious financial consequences to farmers. The report was the first detailed record of the presence of Tuta absoluta in Egypt. These reports if confirmed will mean that Tuta absoluta have now completed its invasion to the Mediterranean region with no exception. All countries on the Mediterranean and Eigen seas now home to the Tomato borer Tuta absoluta.

24th September 2010 Source: http://www.ndp.org.eg/AlWatanyAlYoum/Topics/ViewTopicDetails.aspx? TopicID=12991 http://www.alghad.com

Tuta Absoluta ends Turkey's field tomato dreams The pest Tuta absoluta, also known as the tomato moth, has been wiping out green tomatoes in fields across Turkey. The pest has spread from the Aegean province of zmir, and from Bodrum in the southern province of Mula, covering all Anatolia. I

Summer brings with it an expectation of field tomatoes which taste like tomatoes should taste, unlike cultivated greenhouse tomatoes. As the winter passes Turkey longs for the succulent anakkale varieties. However, it seems that Tuta absoluta is bringing Turkeys dreams of field tomatoes to an end. Tuta absoluta came to Turkey from South America, via Spain and the Mediterranean, in 2007. That is when Turkey should have taken immediate measures, but the Agriculture Ministry did not attach much significance to the issue. In 2009, the moth was discovered in the Yaclar district of Urla and in the village of Ovack in eme, in the Aegean province of zmir, as well as in the Batakova region of Marmara and the Mumcular region of Bodrum. Even still, the Agriculture Ministry still did not take the issue seriously. This year, the tuta moths are destroying crops all across Turkey and if they spread to greenhouses the consequences will seriously effect tomato cultivation, possibly leaving Turkey unable to cultivate tomatoes for a long time. The Tomato moth has already dramatically affected Turkey's export to Ukraine, who recently turned down 50 trucks of tomatoes because of tomato moth infestation. Turkey's annual tomato cultivation is almost 11 million tons, 5 tons of which come from greenhouses. Turkey exports 2 million tons of the entire cultivation and another 2 million are used in the production of tomato paste. There rest is consumed unprocessed.

Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review, Sunday, August 8, 2010