. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/946 
18 June 2009 
 (09-2976) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
FREE STATUS OF KHAPRA BEETLE ( TROGODERMA GRANARIUM EVERTS) 
IN THE TERRITORY OF INDONESIA 
 
Communication by Indonesia
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 12 June 2009, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Indonesia . 
 
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I. BIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND 
1. Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium  Everts (Celeoptera:  Dermestidae) was first found in 
Central Java, Indonesia together with imported st ored products about two decades ago.  Imported 
cereals, mostly from India, Viet Nam and Thailand,  were the main target of quarantine inspection 
with this quarantine object.  It is well recognized that the principal host ranges of khapra beetle are 
grains and animal feed.  The economic impact of the losses due to the infestation of this insect in 
stored products varies depending on the kinds of gr ains, cereals, beans and other host materials, and 
duration of storage.  Groundnuts are the preferred feed for khapra beetles, which may destruct the 
whole nut within a short period. 
2. Cereals from infested countries are imported through several designated seaports of 
Indonesia.  Any imported consignments where khapra  beetle is intercepted shall be subject to 
quarantine treatment procedures. 
3. The curative measure for quarantine treatment fo r khapra beetle is fumigation with methyl 
bromide, using a high concentration for eradication of the existing insect in the consignment.  The 
emerging resistance of khapra beetle may be due to wrong treatment application, particularly 
regarding the equilibrium concentration, which allo ws insects to escape.  The possibility of escaped 
exotic insect is the main factor of potential spr ead from an infested area to other non-infested areas. 
4. Action in response to escaped exotic insects in  certain areas of Java Island has been taken 
through the emergency action programmes for eradica tion, including implementation of an isolated 
quarantine island, restriction of the internal moveme nt of potential media of khapra beetle through an 
inter-islands quarantine regulation, monitoring and surveillance, and total eradication with high 
concentrations of methyl bromide.  
II. PEST STATUS AND EVIDENCE 
5. In 1982, first evidence of khapra beetles was found in central Java, Indonesia.  It was 
recognized that the beetles had escaped from tr eated imported consignm ents.  Comprehensive 
quarantine measures have been conducted for eradica tion of the exotic insect.  Through an emergency 
program, surveillance of khapra beetle was conducted to  evaluate the status of storage insects in each G/SPS/GEN/946 
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  of the designated entry points on each island of  Indonesia since 1983.  Based on new emergency 
evidence, surveillance of khapra beetle was conducte d through comprehensive inspection in each food 
and feed storage location.  During the comprehens ive surveillance more evidence of khapra beetles 
was found in Indonesia, with very low populations in the east of Java and Bangka Islands.  In Bangka 
Island, the original infestation was from animal  feed imported from eastern Java.  During the 
emergency program, any evidence of Khapra beetle  found during surveillance was directly eradiated 
by fumigation with high concentrations of methyl bromide (80g per m
3 for 48 hours).  Intensive 
surveillance was carried out for three years be tween 1983 and 1986, followed by eradication. 
III. MONITORING, SURVEILLANCE AND CU RRENT STATUS OF KHAPRA BEETLE 
6. The evidence of the presence of khapra beetle in Indonesia affected trade in agricultural 
products to partner countries.  Even though the erad ication program for khapra beetle was conducted, 
some countries still list Indonesia as a country wi th khapra beetle.  Any agricultural products, 
particularly grains, beans and pallets must be tr eated by fumigation with high concentrations of 
methyl bromide. 
7. To make sure that there is no any establishmen t of khapra beetle in Indonesia, between 2006 
and February 2009, representatives of the agricultu ral quarantine agency's technical units in each 
province of Indonesia conducted surveillance on Suma tra, Java and other is lands.  The surveillance 
method included direct inspection for evidence of khapra beetle in warehouses for agricultural 
products and trapping.  The trapping method used  dome traps containing sex pheromones and food 
attractants (Trece Incorporation, Oklahoma, United States). 
8. The results of the surveillance are consistent w ith previous results; there is no more evidence 
of khapra beetle in Indonesia.  Refer to the results of the monitoring and surveillance there is no more 
evidence of khapra beetle in Indonesia, therefor e Indonesia requests trading partners of the WTO 
members to stop applying high concentration of methyl bromide in the pre-shipment in order to reduce the ozone depleting substances. 
 
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