Six provinces quarantined with coffee berry borer

Six provinces in the Highlands region have been quarantined following the discovery of the ‘Coffee Berry Borer’ pest in Jiwaka Province.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Tommy Tomscoll, announced today that he has invoked provisions of law to start the process of quarantining the provinces is to ensure the spread of the CBB pest is contained.

The six provinces include Jiwaka, Chimbu, Enga, Eastern, Southern, and Western Highlands.

“Our officers will post checkpoints at various locations in these provinces and they will do searches to ensure you are not transporting the disease from disease infested areas into near areas.

“And if they do they will confiscate the means and the modes of which you are carrying the disease and isolate it.

“So we appeal to our people to abide and cooperate with Government authorities which are on the ground in those known infested areas so that this disease must not spread,” said Tomscoll.

The Minister also said under the provisions he has invoked there is a ban on trading of green cherry beans outside of areas not infested.

Parchments cannot be traded without being certified by CIC. This is to ensure the moisture of the beans are below 12 per cent approval mark. Anything over this will be destroyed as it could potentially carry CBB beans.

Tomscolll says officers on the ground have informed stakeholders and that they are aware of the new requirements.

“Our inspectors are on the ground carrying awareness in these areas already affected and growers are aware of the requirements.

“Our famers are coming to grips and understanding that measures we are taking is a measure that will save their income. We are taking measures that will save their business. We are taking measures that save their employment.”

A delimiting study will be carried out by a joint inspection and monitoring team comprising of the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), The National Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL).

The delimiting study will be carried out over the next two weeks and will determine the extent of the CBB pest spread and indicate the likely measures to address it.

It will also indicate how the pest may have entered the country. This will be done by carrying out a DNA test.

A submissions will be made to the government for a funding of K50 million to carry out the study and for the inspection and monitoring exercise.

The coffee berry borer or coffee borer beetle  (Hypothenemus hampei) is a small beetle native to Africa. It is among the most harmful pests to coffee crops across the world where coffee is cultivated.

The pest was first discovered in PNG in Yapsi, Telefomin in West Sepik Province in 2010. It was eliminated there and then due to the isolation of the area.

The recent discovery made was initially in Banz, Jiwaka Province, and subsequently in Girigiri and Kamaliki in Eastern Highlands.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole