Small but potentially very serious
US Customs and Border Protection (CDP) agriculture specialists reported to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) a species of citrus root weevil intercepted exactly one month ago, on 22 May 2023, in a shipment arriving at Wilmington port.
The invaded shipment of pineapples coming from Honduras could pose a serious problem to the USD 3.4 billion US citrus industry.
Erik Kelling, acting port director for CBP’s Port of Wilmington, said: "This first-in-port discovery is evidence of our agriculture specialists’ tireless efforts to intercept potentially dangerous invasive pests."
The small weevils are well known to occur in some parts of Central America as Cleistolophus viridimargo Champion, 1911 (Curculionidae). CBP offered the importer mitigation options and the importer chose to fumigate the entire shipment. (lh)