Ivan Camilleri in Brussels
EU funds on way to fight Malta’s palm-killer beetle
Palm trees have become victims of the red palm weevil.
Malta has been awarded an additional €619,000 to control the spread of the red palm weevil pest as part of a new EU plant health programme announced in Brussels by Commissioner John Dalli.
The pest, most probably imported to Malta in palm trees from Asia, has wrought havoc on some of the 40,000 palm trees on the island with many of them completely destroyed.
Many other trees had to be heavily pruned in order to control the fast-spreading killer pest.
A spokesman for the Commission said the additional €619,000 granted to Malta would be used to intensify the programme to counter and possibly eradicate the pest.
In 2009, Malta was given €350,000 from the EU coffers for the same purpose.
Cyprus, which is also experiencing the same problem though on a smaller scale, will also be given EU finding to fight the pest.
According to a survey carried out in Malta a few months ago, the problem is under control although the pest is still active.
Fortunately, it seems that, so far, the problem has not spread to Gozo. To prevent this, the government has introduced special rules prohibiting the transport of palm trees to Gozo.
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Colin Stanley
Nov 18th 2011, 16:53
are we supposed to benefit from this money, are we going to have our trees srayed for free?
Charles Sammut
Nov 18th 2011, 16:08
It would be interesting to know why some palm trees are attacked and others not. I have seen cases of two palm trees growing like siamese twins, where one was attacked and died while the other one was unharmed. Could some trees repel the insect?
Colin Formosa
Nov 18th 2011, 14:27
The picture says it all.
Why is an infested palm left in place close to an apparently healthy(not for long) one?
vella m
Nov 18th 2011, 14:08
Why do the authorities leave dead palm trees for a very long time, even months with out uprooting them,they should be uprooted immediately and burned.In Lija and Balzan area we have dozens of dead palm trees which have been dead for ages.
Mr C Galea
Nov 18th 2011, 13:50
What Malta urgently needs is the introduction of harsher and stricter controls of its borders re all agricultural stuff and any samples that may be needed as imports into the country, and of course the illegal ones that are brought in. In doing so every citizen that enters the country must be made aware and accountable of their liability and concern towards the keeping of any diseases out of Malta. Example, one should look at Australia and New Zealand for aspiration and admiration.Do it now please.The Maltese Agricultural authorties need to work closely with the Maltese Customs Authorities to fully enforce these rules.It is possible.
George Smith
Nov 18th 2011, 13:25
There are one or two palm trees near Braxia cemetery along the road to the subway of Bombi Floriana. These are in an area where everyone can see them. They should be removing before the weevil continues kill the other palms in the same area.. Please take notice.!!
Raymond Sammut
Nov 18th 2011, 12:59
One reason why this could be happening is that the bug does not have natural predators on the Maltese islands which, in turn, is because this type of palm trees is not endemic to Malta.
This is nature's way of cleaning up the sins of man's vanity and poor taste. The simple rule of nature is: the palm tree does not belong in Malta. And please don't worry about Gozo. Once the bug runs out of food in Malta, it has big wings (> 5cm) and will reach Gozo like a breeze. The bug will only need five minutes to get there. So much for the Maltese government setting up "special rules". The Maltese government only knows how to show its ignorance to the whole world, and how corrupt it is for allowing the importation of this species. At the same time, the Maltese government has also destroyed thousands of endemic trees by allowing rampant development.
May I suggest to John Dalli to use the €619,000 responsibly. That is, destroy each and every palm tree (except for the Dwarf Fan Palm) in Malta and Gozo, and replace them with endemic trees. The Maltese islands are blessed with beautiful indigenous species which can easily be Googled. The "Harruba", "Prinjol", and "Guda" are only a few.
Palm trees are an eyesore in Malta. They are in Malta and Gozo because some Maltese people have no appreciation of nature and of how nature operates. The bug is just what these people deserve because they infringe on the basic rights of all Maltese. Malta and Gozo do not deserve this sort of ignorance. John Dalli please take note, or else Brussels should not continue to waste big money on sheer bureaucratic arrogance and vandalism.
R Bartolo
Nov 18th 2011, 14:11
There is a massive difference between what should be planted in the natural environment, and those areas managed by man, such as public and private gardens, where non-native species are planted for man's pleasure. At great expense and also, requiring the passage of many long years for the trees to establish themselves.
By the same reasoning we should not even grow any non-native vegetables - oh dear, I just wonder what we'd end up eating - no potatoes, no tomatoes, well, no nothing really, just go for a walk in the countryside -not agricultural land, mind - and see what you can pick up from nature for sustenance - maybe just some carob pods.
Well, actually, not even - the superior knowledge with which you are gifted has failed you in that both the Carob and the Cercis ("Juda") are NOT indigenous, but were introduced many years ago. And the "Prinjol"? That's not even the name of the tree, but of it's fruit, the pine cone. It's called "Znuber".
Oh dear. Happy hunter-gathering.
Raymond Sammut
Nov 18th 2011, 23:38
@ R Bartolo
The only exceptions for planting imported non-indigenous species are those areas controlled by the agricultural department, such as San Anton and Argotti gardens. These species are properly labelled and are under constant supervision of the departmental arboriculturists. You may wish to speak with one of those specialists when you visit one of these gardens of great interest before posting nonsensical messages.
Mr Bartolo: we are talking here about trees which are part of the national flora and upon which the survival of the national fauna so desperately depends. We are not talking about vegetables for consumption. Your comparison with non-native vegetables is just clearly so banal.
Please allow me to repeat: The "Harruba", "Prinjol", and "Guda" are only a few of the numerous species which are indigenous to Malta and to most parts of the Mediterranean region. If you wish to look up the botanical names of these species, they and others are readily available on the net. They are being made available on the net by authors who are specialists in their field.
Of course, some of these indigenous species may have been brought to Malta "many years ago". The nearest land to Malta is Sicily which is some 45 miles away, and unfortunately, unlike the bug, trees do not have wings.
But just because some of these species may have been brought to the Maltese Isles by distant Maltese seafarers, it doesn't mean these species are not indigenous to Malta --which as you would know is a Mediterranean island with Mediterranean climate, soil and volcanic rock. Malta is not, for example, an Egyptian oasis, where the palm tree belongs.
Martin Bonello
Nov 18th 2011, 12:02
Thanks John Dalli. It seems you still have the best interests of your country at heart.
kevin magro
Nov 18th 2011, 11:41
some two weeks ago i found two red palm weevil in my home and i dont have any palm trees , even i dont have a garden , In malta i think we are full of this weevil
jane deguara nee hughes
Nov 18th 2011, 11:07
i had two (8 0r 9 ft) palm trees in my garden and now this blasted beetle has killed one, i was amazzed of how many eggs it layed in my palm tree, but thanks to the deputy mayor of mtarfa he saved the other one, thank you
Matty Sammut
Nov 18th 2011, 10:44
It's about time that someone takes care of this sitiuation, the once luscious trees are ending as an unpleasant sight. On a general note i think that we need to plant more trees in Malta, these will offer a lot of shade during the summer season.
Jan Willem van Avendonk
Nov 18th 2011, 10:42
I dont know but is it possible to ban the importation of palms for a few years and wait until the weevil kills itself by kiling all the palms and not having more where to go ?
malta is a small country I imagine that this is a possibility that will have a 100% succes after a few years with very little effort involved
Joseph Grech Attard
Nov 18th 2011, 10:35
Palm trees imported from Asia? It is the citizens' right to know who imported them and under what conditions and if the conditions were adhered to! Most people in Malta think that it was some 'dirty' Arab 'liars' and 'thieves' from Libya or Tunisia that sent the infected palm trees! Are we entitled to more honest information? No need for the culprits to be punished, but at least truth surfaces.
Joseph Galea
Nov 18th 2011, 10:24
Whether it is the red palm weevil or some other disease, something is certainly decimating the palm trees on the Sliema promenade near Speedy's gas station, near Balluta. There are two more palms that are obviously dying at the moment. This brings to 19 the total number of trees that have died out over the past several months/years. Hopefully, the authorities will replace these trees, if not by mature palms, then by other hardier, possibly deciduous, trees with a large canopy that will provide the desired shade to this pleasant area in the summer.
R Bartolo
Nov 18th 2011, 09:54
The problem is NOT under control.it is now rampant. The previous 350,000 were MORE than sufficient to completely eradicate this pest. But, the Plant Health Department's action plan was / is totally useless, involving "advising" local councils and private individuals, and otherwise taking action far too late, not to mention a completely pointless and resource-wasting palm tree registration scheme.
I bet the weevil was really worried about the latter.
The lack of responsibility for this state of affairs is criminal.
Collectively, in a few short years, tens of thousands of years of grown were / are being devastated.
And yes, I had proposed an effective action plan that would have been practially guaranteed to eliminate this pest, but all I had got in return was the aforementioned "we give advice..."
If the people at the top, who are responsible for managing these funds, and appear to be totally clueless, either do not change tack or are replaced, then in a couple of years time and several thousands more palm trees killed, we will be discussing the Red Palm Weevil once again.
Ray Mangion
Nov 18th 2011, 10:25
It makes one wonder if the money is being used to eliminate the problem!