A coconut pest has entered the country and has now become a threat to the agriculture sector, particularly the only disease free commodity – palm oil.
The pest has affected coconuts in Madang Province and is currently in the Central Province, with a high likelihood of it spreading to the Milne Bay Province.
The coconut rhinoceros beetle, also known as Guam one-type beetle, first made Guam its home in 2007. It has also affected coconuts in the Solomon Islands as well as its palm oil industry.
In response to this, Agriculture Minister Benny Allan today met with New Britain Palm Oil and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), who will formalise a submission to cabinet in the next three weeks.
This is for NBPOL to fund a research exercise that will help minimise the pest spreading to Milne Bay.
NBPOL country manager, Robert Nilkare, says the company is willing to fund the exercise, which will cost around K4.8 million or $US1.5 million.
They are proposing NBPOL pay half of the exercise and offset the rest through a tax credit scheme. However, there is currently a moratorium on tax credit scheme in the country.
Minister Allan says they will be asking cabinet to look at this as a special case, and them taking preventative measures on the spread of the pest.
He said oil palm is the only disease free commodity and must be protected as much as possible.
NBPOL’s head of sustainability, Ian Orrell, says the rest of the country is also vulnerable to this pest when it spreads between the ports.