Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The South Kalimantan Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine has inspected 218 imported logs from United States as a preventive measure to assure the commodity was free from foreign Quarantine Plant Pest Organism (OPTK) from abroad.
Head of South Kalimantan Quarantine Erwin AM Dabuke here on Thursday said the OPTK target on the wood was borer insects, Xestobium Rufovillosum and Xyleborus Spp.
“These insects are included in OPTK group A1, means have not been found in Indonesia. The examination conducted through visual observation of the bark surface,” he said.
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Officers carefully looked for frass, signs of borer insects, which is the result of adult insect movements durng the inspection.
“Before being used by importer, Quarantine must ensure that the commodity is safe,” he said.
The examination, he expounded, was to ensure that the commodity did not carry foreign organism that could damage the local ecosystem in South Kalimantan.
In addition, officers also checked the suitability of type and quantity, as well as completenesss of the documents.
Erwin said the document must be completed for imported commodity are phytosanitary certificate, invoice, and packing list from the country of origin, and also Import Approval Letter issued by the Indonesian Trade Ministry.
After the commodity was declared free from the OPTK target, the Quarantine issued a Release Certificate (K-9.2).
The logs from red oak tree to be used as raw materials for making plywood.
“With this Quarantine measures, it is hoped that the risk of threat to the preservation of biodiversity in Indonesia could be reduced,” said Erwin.
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