Sri Lanka: A deathwatch beetle stridulating?

It is incumbent upon all those responsible for guaranteeing the quality of Ceylon tea to put their shoulders to the wheel and doubly ensure that all tea consignments are free from pests. Else, as for Sri Lanka’s struggling tea industry, Russian restrictions might be like a deathwatch beetle’s stridulation or tapping of wings, believed to presage death. Absit omen!

by Prabath Sahabandu- Dec 20, 2017

Dec 20, 2017

( December 20, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Beetles seem to be causing serious problems to the incumbent government. The German Beetle, which was expected to come here about three years ago, bringing loads and loads of forex, has let it down badly. (Volkswagen has since come to be dubbed ‘Hoaxwagen’.) Worse, another beetle, a real one at that, is likely to aggravate the country’s foreign exchange woes. A khapra beetle has caused Sri Lanka’s tea supplies to Russia to be restricted, we are told. (Speculation is rife in political circles that Russian action is not entirely due to the detection of the pesky pest in Ceylon tea, and Sri Lanka’s ban on asbestos, which comes from countries such as Russia, has something to do with it. But, we choose to base this comment on the official version of the issue.)

It never rains but it pours! There seems to be no end to Sri Lankan tea growers’ misfortunes. Having undergone serious difficulties and been reduced to near penury due to low prices and a sharp drop in production owing to inclement weather conditions, they are now faced with a double whammy. They are on tenterhooks, expecting news from Moscow and hoping for the best.

President Maithripala Sirisena has swung into action—for once. He seems to have realised the gravity of the situation. Having taken up the issue with Russia he is planning to send a special ministerial delegation to Moscow for talks. His prompt intervention is certainly welcome in that it will go a long way towards convincing Russia and other international buyers of Ceylon tea that Sri Lanka is making a serious effort, at the highest level of government, to tackle the pest problem. A claim being made in some quarters that the nasty, elusive beetle entered the tea consignment from a foreign port won’t help reassure the quality conscious international buyers.

Russia’s concerns about the khapra beetle should be appreciated. For, it is no ordinary pest. Two leading Sri Lankan scientists, in their article we publish, today, explain why the khapra beetle problem should be taken very seriously and action initiated to control it as a national priority. This particular insect, they point out, is ranked among the 100 most destructive invasive insect species in the world. They inform us that the danger of khapra beetle is accompanied by its rapid rate of population increase and high level of quantitative and qualitative loss in the infested stored products. It can survive without food for years, live with low moisture content and undergo adverse environmental conditions in diapauses and are resistant to many insecticides. This shows the magnitude of the problem we are faced with and why Russia is so concerned. All, however, is not lost or, at least, we hope so. The two scientists have suggested remedial measures, which the government had better seriously consider adopting urgently.

Blows that small pests deal to the economy can be really heavy. Rhinoceros beetles as well as various mites have inflicted extensive damage to the coconut industry over the years so much so that the country has had to import coconuts to meet a shortfall in the domestic supply. Many coconut palms have been felled due to the Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt Disease, which is also caused by a pest. Drought conditions and lack of fertiliser have worsened the situation. The political cost of skyrocketing coconut prices has been enormous; it is bound to have a far worse impact on the government at the upcoming polls than all the coconut dashing by the useless Opposition.

Russia will certainly be fair by Sri Lanka, which, however, has to get its act together. Ensuring the quality of tea is not a task that can be left to the government. President Sirisena has done his part commendably well and a high level investigation is currently underway. He has promised stern action against the tea export company concerned if it is found guilty. Much more, however, remains to be done if disaster is to be averted. It is feared that Russian restrictions might have a domino effect across the world with other countries which import Sri Lankan tea following suit by way of a precautionary measure. This is a frightening proposition. While foreign reserves are rapidly dwindling the country needs a kidney punch to the tea industry, one of the main stays of the economy, like a hole in the head.

It is incumbent upon all those responsible for guaranteeing the quality of Ceylon tea to put their shoulders to the wheel and doubly ensure that all tea consignments are free from pests. Else, as for Sri Lanka’s struggling tea industry, Russian restrictions might be like a deathwatch beetle’s stridulation or tapping of wings, believed to presage death. Absit omen!

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The writer is the editor of The Island, a Colombo based daily newspaper, where this piece first appeared