10 Jan 2006

Philippines bans coconut products from 10 Pacific countries

11:16 am on 10 January 2006

Coconut palm seedlings, plants and germinated seed nuts from 10 Pacific Island countries have been banned from the Philippines.

The Philippines Government made the move in a bid to prevent the spread of coconut leaf beetle in its coconut-growing areas.

The Manila Bulletin reports the Agriculture Department has labelled the leaf beetle as an invasive pest.

The banned countries are American Samoa, French Polynesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna and Solomon Islands.