Jambi Quarantine Center Holds 6 Batang Orchid Seeds Without Documents

JAMBI - The Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Centers hold dendrobium orchid seeds at Sultan Thaha Airport, Jambi Province, because they are not equipped with official documents.

"Security while quarantine officers are conducting surveillance at airport cargoes, and find orchid seeds from East Java but are not equipped with official documents from the area," said Jambi Quarantine Head Sudiwan Situmorang in a written statement, Antara, Sunday, March 2.

The location of the officers securing the seeds took place at the arrival terminal. The number of orchid seeds that were secured was six sticks.

"Kalau karantina itu tidak melihat sedikit dan banyak jumlahnya, karena yang kita mencegah adalah pest penyakit. Jadi meski hanya sedikit, risikonya sama," tegasnya.

According to Sudiwan, although it is still in Indonesian territory, the status of pests and diseases between islands in Indonesia is different, so it is important to have the flora traffic permit.

In addition, the action was also carried out in accordance with Law No. 21 of 2019 concerning Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.

Where in the law it is stated that all animal, fish, plant, and product commodities trafficked between areas/islands must be reported to quarantine officers at the expenditure site, namely at airports/delay departures, meeting quarantine requirements and reported back to officers at the income site.

"So, yes, the flow, so that the public knows, we both maintain the health of every commodity that is trafficked or food safety," he said.

According to him, unhealthy orchid seeds can include the Tenuipalpus Orchidarum Tungau plant which is a type of Quarantine Plant Disturbing Organism (OPTK) that has never been found in the Sumatra region, so it has the potential to damage orchid plants in its territory.