Yesterday, the National Directorate of Agropecuary Quarantine of the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) reported that an estimated 40 containers with 38,000 Christmas trees have entered the country. Luis Benavides, in charge of the directorate, explained that each container carries about 1,000 small trees and between 400 and 600 of the larger ones. According to the entity, the process is expected to be completed and the last containers of trees to be received in the second week of December, and by the end of the sampling, a total of 60 to 65 containers with trees of different sizes could arrive. The official stated that the verifications are carried out randomly to detect the possible presence of pests. He indicated that although some insects have been found, laboratory analyses have determined that they do not pose a quarantine risk. 'Since early October, this directorate has been working together with the Plant Health Directorate to ensure compliance with phytosanitary norms during the reception of the product, which mainly arrives at the port of Manzanillo, in the province of Colón, with Canada being its main country of origin,' he highlighted.
