Border officers have been reminded to be thorough when livestock or plant species are being imported.

Minister for Agriculture Doctor Mahendra Reddy says last year there was an incident whereby some sheep that were brought into the country were not screened properly.

Dr Reddy says they were about to give these animals out to farmers when they discovered a new disease.

“We had to stop giving out, cull all the animals and start all over again. We were very worried that it had gone into the farms and if the same disease got into the goats and imagine how important the goat Industry is to farmers and Fiji.”

Dr Reddy say when the traced everything back it was due to the laxity of border and agriculture officers.

He also revealed that the person in charge of this at that time was an expatriate who brought the sheep from his own farm.

Dr Reddy says this sort of blunders can cause a devastating impact on the economy.