Government Launches Nationwide Pesticide Rollout to Combat Destructive Coconut Whitefly Infestation

The Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources has commenced a nationwide application of a specialized pesticide treatment to halt a spiraling whitefly infestation threatening coconut palms across the Maldives. The initiative follows widespread reports of significant crop damage across multiple regions, prompting an urgent government response to protect the archipelago's vital coconut resources. The treatment strategy relies on Yejiaching pesticide packets, which demonstrated success during trials conducted at the Hanimaadhoo Agriculture Center. This specific treatment was originally introduced under the Chinese government-assisted Maldives Coconut Tree Pest Control Assistance Project to manage the coconut hispine beetle, but has now been adapted to combat the whitefly crisis. To ensure a systematic rollout, the ministry is distributing the pesticide to all local councils. Allocations are being determined proportionally based on the number of palm trees in each administrative area. The rollout began in Baarah, Haa Alifu Atoll, where an active application programme is already underway. Distribution letters have been dispatched across Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, and Shaviyani atolls, with northern districts receiving supplies via Hanimaadhoo and other regions receiving them directly from Malé. Local councils in Kalaidhoo (Laamu Atoll), Fiyoaree (Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll), and Meedhoo (Addu City) have specifically requested interventions, prompting the immediate issuance of handover letters for the required supplies. This effort is part of a broader, long-term strategy to address plant and palm diseases. The government continues to collaborate with the Environment and Plant Protection Research Institute, a branch of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, which has a delegation stationed in the Maldives to develop sustainable solutions. To further strengthen biosecurity and eliminate research obstacles, the state has established a national laboratory and signed bilateral cooperation agreements focusing on the control of hispid beetles and general plant pathology.