(Jeonju=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jin-bang = The Rural Development Administration announced on the 23rd that the first case of fire blight has been reported in Cheongju City, Chungbuk Province, which had previously been an area without fire blight occurrences.
The fire blight outbreak was confirmed through a report from a farm in Nami-myeon, Cheongju City on the 21st, where a farmer suspected an outbreak.
The Livestock Quarantine and Inspection Service has prohibited external access to the orchard and is investigating the epidemiological situation, cause of occurrence, and potential spread routes.
The Rural Development Administration, Chungbuk Agricultural Technology Institute, and Cheongju City Agricultural Technology Center plan to conduct a precise survey by the 26th on two orchards (0.01 hectares) within a 2 km radius of the fire blight outbreak site and 15 orchards (4.1 hectares) in Nami-myeon.
They will also conduct a joint precise survey on all 301 orchards (142.6 hectares) in Cheongju City by the 31st. If fire blight is confirmed during the survey, they plan to implement rapid control measures.
Currently, the domestic fire blight situation involves 12 farms covering 5 hectares, which is 38% of farms and 19% of area compared to the same period last year. During the same period last year, fire blight occurred in 32 farms covering 26.9 hectares.
Chae Ui-seok, director of disaster response at the Rural Development Administration, said, "Agricultural development institutions are working to detect fire blight early through regular surveys" and urged, "Apple and pear farmers should strengthen self-monitoring until the end of July and report any unusual symptoms to their nearest agricultural technology center or the pest report hotline (☎ 1833-8572)."
chinakim@yna.co.kr