BY MAVIS NSIHIMURA PODOKOLO
THE shock phase of the fatal pest known as Rhinoceros Beetle has passed and now it’s time to find possible approaches to address it, says Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Mr Jimmy Saelea.
He said the dreadful pest known to be dreadful to coconut and palm oil industry was first discovered in 2015.
“When the pest was first discovered in 2015 it was firsthand and dreadful for Solomon Islands especially the coconut and palm oil industry.
“From then the country was in the dark point and it was still in the dark stage because the issue is now spreading out to the other parts of country.
“It seems that we are two and three steps back and still trying to catch up with the pest itself,” Saelea said.
He stressed that the threat of the killer pest is spreading rapidly to other parts of the country and it will be a disaster if possible approaches are not put in place to eradicate the pest.
Saelea said assistance are coming in from our neighboring countries to find ways to control it.
He strongly emphasised that cooperation from individuals, communities, NGOs and the government is important to fight against the beetle.
