The national blitz on the tomato-eating pest worked, Resources Minister George Pullicino announced yesterday, pointing out that only two per cent of this year’s crop was lost compared to 20 per cent destroyed last year.

About 44,000 vouchers were distributed to 1,200 registered farmers and tomato producers subsidising traps designed to catch the pest, he said.

The government drew up a plan earlier this year after the pest, called tuta absoluta, destroyed a substantial amount of last year’s tomato crop. It allocated €300,000 to help farmers prevent and contain the spread by setting up pheromone traps that attract male moths to a pool of water containing female hormones.

The money was used to cover about half the costs. The costs for monitoring and enforcing the plan will be footed by the government.

The plan was drafted following consultation with farmers’ representatives. Tomato farmers and amateur growers can register next week to benefit from the subsidy between September and December.