Minister for Agriculture Dr Mahendra Reddy. [Source: Ministry of Agriculture]

Calls have been made to establish a joint taskforce to address the Asian Subterranean Termite problem.

Minister for Agriculture, Dr Mahendra Reddy made the call while opening two-day ‘2020 National Agriculture Symposium’.

Dr Reddy says while there are so many experts within Ministry and Fiji National University not much has been done to protect the agriculture sector from the Asian Subterranean Termites.

He says termites are expanding its base in the country and threatening the dwellings and agriculture to some extent now.

The Agriculture Minister says it is time that a joint taskforce is established and go for a war on termites and stop its spread and reduce its numbers towards zero in their existing areas.

He says there is a need to support the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji in full proofing Fiji’s borders as that was the source of new pests and diseases into the country.