Travellers Urged To Be Vigilant Of Taking Pests Into The Island

The Plant Quarantine Produce Inspection (PQPI) Unit is encouraging Jamaicans to be vigilant when travelling, to prevent the possibility of bringing pests into the island.

Pests, such as the Medfly and Tomato Leafminer, can devastate the agriculture sector if they enter Jamaica.

Identifier/Entomologist in the PQPI Unit in Kingston, Karen Barrett Christie, says unauthorised importation of fruits and vegetables creates a risk for pests being brought in.

“This is an appeal to persons… when you go abroad, eat everything that you want to eat and leave it there. Do not take any fruits and vegetables from any country and bring it into Jamaica because, a lot of times, you don’t know what is in there,” she emphasised.

Mrs. Christie told JIS News that while persons recognising an infestation in their produce will instinctively discard it, this can result in the spread of the pest.

“Once you throw away something that is infested, it then can proliferate and multiply. These flies, they burrow into the fruit. Once you throw out the fruit, they burrow into the soil. From the soil, they then pupate, and that is how the life cycle goes. Therefore, the action of throwing the thing away actually assists the fruit fly in its life cycle; so it is the worst thing that you could possibly do,” she said.

Persons seeking to bring produce into the country should get a permit from the PQPI.

“Once you get your permit, the country that you’re going to will issue the relevant documents and do the appropriate inspections of the agricultural produce to ensure that it is safe. Unless you have done that, please do not carry in any fruits and vegetables, seeds and plants.

“[We] women… like to see plants, [and] anywhere [we do, we may] pick off a piece and carry it. I beg you, do not do that, because if any of these exotic pests come into our country, it will not only devastate our agriculture, but it can also affect our ornamentals.” Mrs. Christie stated.

The PQPI Unit is Jamaica’s first line of defence against the introduction of exotic pests and diseases.

It is mandated to ensure that only the highest quality, pest-free cut flowers and fresh produce are exported from and imported into the island.