Protecting coconut trees from the rhinoceros beetle is being discussed this week at a summit in Samoa.
Hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, international experts are also brainstorming more cost effective ways of replenishing aging trees and preserving coconut varieties.
The ministry's chief executive Tilafono David Hunter says the beetle has decimated Samoa's coconut industry .
Tilafono says while there is a strong replanting programme, the beetle continues to be a threat.
