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.