THE coconut rhinoceros beetle or CRB on Rota remains a high priority species to eradicate, according to the State and Private Forestry Fact Sheet of the Northern Mariana Islands submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on May 10, 2023.
The CRB has been a major concern of Rota farmers since 2017. It attacks coconut trees which provide food for local consumption, fronds for construction of infrastructure, and contribute to local economic activity by representing the culture and aesthetics of the islands for tourists and locals alike, the fact sheet stated.
The CRB leads to the decay and ultimate death of coconut trees, it added.
In an interview, Rota Municipal Council Chairman Jim Atalig said the CRB still poses a threat to local farmers.
“These insects destroy our crops particularly coconut trees,” he added.
In 2018, the Department of Land and Natural Resources presented a strategic management plan to control the pest.
Three years later, the CNMI government announced that DLNR, through the Office of the Governor, had received a $250,000 grant from the Office of Insular Affairs Technical Assistance Program for ongoing efforts to combat the CRB threat.
A coconut rhinoceros beetle found on Rota.
