Role of quarantine in the introduction of new planting materials in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a developing country in agriculture. Eighty percent of the rural population directly depend upon agriculture. The country grows both local as well as introduced crops for food. Introduction of new crops or new varieties of existing crops become important in order to search for higher yielding types with resistance to pest and disease attack. Import of new planting materials is done by the Department of Agriculture and Live­ stock, other research institutes and also the general public. The government departments and the re­search institutes import for evaluation of new crop varieties for future introduction. The general public import for personal use or commercial cultivation. Whenever new planting materials are imported from overseas there are certain procedures and conditions that have to be followed. These are known as plant quarantine regulations.