National Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA)

Agriculture Minister Benny Allan said he was pleased with the efforts so far in containing the pest from spreading outside the Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka provinces.

K10 million has been spent on the exercise since it was detected last year in Jiwaka, Asaro, Goroka and Unggai-Bena in the Eastern Highlands province. They remained contained in these areas.

Two roadblocks have been set up and remain at the border of Chimbu and Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands province, to stop the spread of CBB. 

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.

As continued efforts are being made into the fourteenth week of operations, the organisations are afraid that it will not be long until both run low on funds in the next two weeks.

This concern was raised on Wednesday, May 17^th, during the first National Emergency Response Committee (NERC) meeting in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

Managing Director, Joel Alu, told Loop PNG recently that all diseases affecting the flora and fauna of the country and the potential effects on the human population will be recorded.

Alu said this during an announcement by government to quarantine and carry out a delimiting survey on the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) pest.