Enemy at the Gates – New Palm Oil Disease from the North

When one is confronted with a crisis – it is natural to lose one’s head momentarily. But one would do well to remain very calm.

Easier said than done. Especially, if you know of the terror that is about to come.

Most farmers do not see what I see. I have seen this before in Africa. Seen vast tracts of arable lands being rendered to stumps – seen them enough to drive mile after mile with hardly a change in the scenery.

I don’t whether this new disease that’s creeping it way from the North is capable of such devastation. I don’t know. And I suspect no one knows either.

One must calm. Calmness the great unifier of the mind. As without a cool and composed mind – it’s very difficult to be effective or for that matter inspire confidence in others. 

Yesterday during my regularly monthly meetings with the oil palm small holders it seems a new palm oil disease is sweeping down from Southern Thailand. So they say. Some say it’s spread by the wind. Others claim it’s carried by the strain of wevils – very little so far is known about this new disease. However, what is known is, it’s spreading.

Today I made a three hour road trip up to the North by landcruiser to see for myself, the extent of the damage – I wanted to get a sense of scale and get a handle on how I will have to plan to wage war against this scrouge. It didn’t take me long to realize this is serious. But I am confident we will win. I have been told the Germans, Italians and French are finalizing the last details of the precision farming UAV (I believe this will be our wonder weapon) – the timing couldn’t be better.

As far as the extent of the spread of this disease, it hasn’t descended on my tiny village yet – but it will only be a matter time as the dry season is approaching – and the winds are likely to pick up and spread these deadly spores far and wide – hasty preparations will have to be made – every man and woman in the community would have to be mobilised. Now I have to crack my head on how to break this news to my community without causing panic. Maybe I making a big thing out of this. After all so far there seems to be only isolated outbreaks. But again it is hard, if not impossible to beacon the murk. I have seen all this before in Africa and I have very little illusions what needs to be done.

I would need to cancel all my plans and make a trip down to Kuala Lumpur ASAP. That’s sad, as Missy Dotty was supposed to visit me this weekend from Singapore.

I need to speak to the serious men in the Internationale. I need them to bring this matter up to the Imperium in the virtual and mobilize a team of experts. We need knowledgable men to fight this menace. The seniors in the every Guild will all be gathering in my plantation this weekend to discuss how best we should tackle this problem -Coming to think of it, it’s best if Missy Dotty isn’t round when those rowdy fellows come along.

We will win!

Darkness 2013 

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