Agriculture Minister, Benny Allan, said the agriculture sector is facing problems in importing pesticides.
Minister Allan said the foreign exchange rate is not allowing the sector to import the quantity the sector needs.
He said this does not help when two leading commodities are currently under threat from two different insect pests.
The Agriculture Minister said the current economic reality faced in the country does not help with the importing of pesticides from abroad.
For the coffee berry borer, Government agency Coffee Industry Corporation is working closely with farmers in Eastern Highlands and Jiwaka to control the spread of the disease.
With the sector seeing another threat with the presence of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Vice Minister Henry Ame said it will be an expensive exercise to save the sector.
However, talks between CIC and a foreign company will see the shipping of a limited quantity of chemicals into the country.
The Agriculture Minister says this is the option awaiting funding from the 2018 budget.
With the announcement of threats by the coconut rhinoceros beetle and coffee berry borer, the Agriculture sector is now looking at options to minimise or control the harmful effects it can have on coffee, oil palm and coconut.
1 comment
Is the bettle local or important breed?
How did it migrate into the country? Could it be lack of quarantine protection in imports.
Has the pesticide being identified?
What volume is required?