Abu Dhabi, April 29 (SANA) Syria’s agriculture minister on Tuesday called for the creation of a regional center to combat the red palm weevil, a pest that threatens date palm production across the region.
Speaking at a ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi, Agriculture Minister Amjad Badr said the proposed center would focus on early detection, integrated pest management and biological control methods.
The meeting, held under the title “Red Palm Weevil Control Coalition,” brought together Arab ministers and representatives of international organizations.
Badr said date palm cultivation in Syria faces challenges including damage to palm groves in parts of the country due to bombardment by deposed regime forces and the impact of climate change.
He said government research institutions are working to improve palm cultivation through programs that identify suitable varieties, develop planting techniques and expand the use of tissue-cultured seedlings.
He warned that the red palm weevil has spread to public gardens and urban areas, describing it as a major threat to the sector that has led to economic losses and increased control costs.
The minister said authorities are taking preventive measures and implementing projects to contain the pest in key growing regions.
The coalition initiative follows recommendations from the United Nations climate conference COP28, aiming to promote sustainable solutions to combat the pest and support the date palm sector.
Participants at the meeting also endorsed the “Third Abu Dhabi Declaration for Combating the Red Palm Weevil 2026,” following earlier declarations issued in 2019 and 2024.
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