Farmers threaten plant health unit personnel

Workers from the Plant Health Directorate were threatened by farmers when uprooting disease-ridden citrus trees in San Blas, Gozo.

Two farmers tried to attack the workers yesterday morning but where restrained by police officers. The officials will be filing police reports but it is not yet clear whether they intend pressing charges. The farmers were not arrested.

Condemning the attack, the Rural Affairs Ministry said that, in November, the directorate had carried out inspections according to law and the trees were found to be infected. The farmers were informed that the trees had to be destroyed in order to wipe out the disease. Before the action started, the Gozo courts issued a warrant of prohibitory injunction on the farmers' request to halt the process. However, news of the warrant reached the officials when the action had already started. The case will be heard tomorrow.

The directorate said it would remain committed to control and prevent the spread of plant disease. Regular inspections were being carried out on citrus trees and a number of trees imported from Sicily were being held by the directorate to be examined.

Since inspections were continuous, there was no cause for alarm, the directorate said.

More information can be obtained from www.planthealth.gov.mt or freephone 8007 2310.