DOA: All remaining Christmas trees treated and released

The Department of Agriculture told Cayman 27 this year’s Christmas tree pest problems have been conquered.

The DOA confirmed eight types of live organisms were intercepted by its inspection teams. These ranged from snails, flies, and worms to different kinds of live bugs and insects in their larval stages.

The DOA said despite the headaches of post-entry fumigation treatment process, past experience has shown these items can be successfully imported pest-free.

“To date all importers except one were able to release and sell their Christmas trees following successful treatments,” Agriculture Ministry Deputy Chief Tammy Ebanks said in a statement.

That importer’s trees were treated Tuesday and Cayman 27 received word late Wednesday afternoon that all the remaining trees were in fact cleared and released.

The DOA said its guidelines for tree importations were clearly spelled out well ahead of the season.