Betel nut imports from Philippines,Taiwan banned

Local officials will indefinitely ban betel nut imports from the Philippines and Taiwan starting Sept. 6, while experts determine whether or not the plants have caused a disease in local betel nut trees.

However, betel nuts from the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau will still be allowed to enter the CNMI.

The Division of Agriculture has considered the Philippines and Taiwan “high risk.”

“We gave the warning one month in advance so that the people who are planning to import betel nuts should do so before that date,” according to Stanley Villagomez, acting director of the division.

He said betel nut and coconut trees on the island have been showing symptoms of disease infestation since 1997. The temporary ban will be lifted when the division has identified the real cause of the disease.

For example, an owner noted that his betel nut tree now bears 8 or 9 fruits when he used to harvest 100 betel nuts in one tree.

Two years ago a study was conducted by research institution in Australia headed by Dr. Richard Hodgson in cooperation with the Land Grant Office of the Northern Marianas College and the Division of Agriculture.

The group gathered some tissue samples from betel nut and coconut trees to determine exactly the type of disease affecting them. But the CNMI never received the results of the study as funding has been cut due to austerity measures.

Villagomez said his office is studying carefully the Commonwealth Federal Regulation to find out what else should not be allowed entry into the Commonwealth. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also prohibits the importation of betel nuts.

A legislator has already filed a bill seeking the imposition of a price control on betel nuts sold in stores and import tax. Currently, betel nuts from Guam, Saipan, Yap and other neighboring islands are sold at $1.25 for four pieces of young nuts, while about $1.50 for two pieces of the hard kind.

Those brought in from Asian countries, like Thailand and Taiwan, are cheaper with retail value of about $1 for the same number of pieces.

Rep. Maximo Olopai, proponent of the price control, said the price ceiling would discourage store owners from taking advantage of the high market demand for betel nuts on the island.

Betel nut chewing has long been a practice of the indigenous people as well as citizens from other Micronesian islands.