PNG Minister Simon Warns Border Crossers

Papua New Guineans living along the PNG border  with Indonesia, have been warned not to bring any plants or animals into the country.

Agriculture and Livestock Minister, John Simon issued the warning, after  receiving reports about the people of Imonda,  bringing cocoa seeds into the country. 

Mr. Simon was visiting the villages of Imonda, Skotchiau and Kilipau, when he was  told that people along the PNG Indonesia border were travelling into Jayapura to get cocoa seeds, because they were not getting them in PNG.

He says he was saddened to hear that these villages were  not being served by responsible agencies in PNG, and as a result,  they were going to Indonesia for help, exposing the risk of agriculture and livestock industry to pests and diseases.

Mr. Simon  says the National Government through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock would assist the border villagers with seeds and polybags as well as shade clothes to set up their own cocoa and coffee nurseries, and not rely on imported plants and animals from Indonesia. 

He says  the importation of cocoa seeds from Indonesia, is believed to be the mode of transmission of the cocoa pod borer and other plant and animal diseases into the country.

NBC News / PNG Today

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