Tobacco pests, disease hurt Uganda crop

KAMPALA, Nov 29 (Reuters) - British American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) expects its 2010 tobacco production to drop by 8.2 percent from last year's output, depressed by crop disease and pests, top company officials told Reuters on Monday. ... The company's agronomist, Robert Bakyalire, said their crop had been attacked by tobacco mosaic, a viral disease that turns leaves pale-green and lightens their weight, and nematodes, which chew through the roots making the plant dry prematurely. Continued