Freer Trade Spreads Insect Pests

SYDNEY - Aug 5/04 - SNS -- Freer trade in agricultural commodities is making it easier for insect pests to migrate from one country or continent to another, warns Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Entomologist David Rees said the world community will have to more vigilant in preventing economic loss and hardship due to destruction and spoilage of foodstuffs by insects. This means public health officials, quarantine workers, farmers and scientists around the world will have to pay greater attention to preventing infestations in stored foodstuffs and animal products.

Insects are widely known to attack not just stored grains but wool carpets, corks in wine bottles, dried fish, chocolate, savory biscuits, dog biscuits, dried baby food, cakes, paper, clothing, hides and skins.

"A box of chocolates containing a single moth larva is worse than worthless," Rees says. "It may result in a fine from the environmental health department, negative publicity and lost consumer trust in a brand, and legal action."

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