The president of the National Association of Agropecuarian Professionals (ANPA), Danilo Severino has been calling for President Danilo Medina to declare the eastern region in red alert for the presence of the giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica). The large land snail is regarded as one of the most dangerous invasive species that causes severe damage to agricultural crops and native plants and spreads human disease. It picks up diseases from rats and transmits them to dogs and cats.
Responding to this request, Minister of Agriculture Angel Estevez said that projects have already been underway for a year to control the reproduction of the snail. He said that the ministries of Agriculture, Public Health and Environment have been applying protocols to eliminate the snail. Estevez said that the infestation has been confined to the eastern region, primarily a residential area.
He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture is also coordinating activities with the Ministry of Tourism and local communities to eradicate the snail. He said US scientists have also contributed to the efforts to keep the snail under check.
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El Dia
Listin Diario
El Dia
18 January 2018
