Philippines bans importation of palms from 24 countries

The Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture has banned the importation of palm leaves, seed nuts and seedlings from 24 countries to prevent the entry of the beetle that had already caused substantial damage to the coconut industry the past two years.

Philippine Coconut Authority regional manager Deodiro Ravelo said the BPI announced the ban through Special Quarantine Order 1 against 24 countries with rampant brontispa longgissima infestation.

Ravelo said the ban came two years since the presence of brontispa coconut beetle was first sighted among the palmera coconuts along Roxas Boulevard.

The ban was pursuant to the Executive Order 664 ordering BPI and PCA to impose emergency measures to stop the spread of brontispa in over 68 coconut producing provinces.

The ban was imposed on countries with known brontispa infestation such as China, Taiwan and Maldives. It also includes other parts of South East Asia such as Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Also included in the ban are parts of Oceania like the American Samoa, French Polynesia, New Celedonia, Northern Mariana Island, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Island, Vanatua, Wallis and Fetuna, Western Samoa and Queensland and Northern Territory of Australia.

Ravelo said 16 provinces in the Philippines were also placed under strict quarantine. In Central Visayas, only Bohol is included on the list.

“Any movement of palm trees within these infected provinces should be accompanied by a special transport permit assuring observance of quarantine measures from source farms,” according to the order.

The order carries penalties that include confiscation of planting materials and a fine of P500 to P1,000 for every nut seedling.

The coconut industry is the largest farm export earning industry in the country. It produces about P40 billion in net foreign exchange earnings and sustains about 3.5 million farms. — Ferliza C. Contratista/LPM