The Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) has declared the eradication of Asian subterranean termites in infested areas of Nakasi and Rakiraki following treatment and post-treatment surveillance.
BAF acting chief executive officer Surend Pratap said the achievement was an important milestone for affected communities and Fiji’s biosecurity system.
Asian subterranean termites were first detected in Nakasi in September 2023 and in Rakiraki in January 2024.
Mr Pratap said the authority’s focus was now on Ciriwai in Sigatoka, where the invasive pest was detected in January 2025.
“Eradication in Nakasi and Rakiraki is an important achievement for the affected communities and for Fiji’s biosecurity system,” he said.
He said eradication in Ciriwai would only be declared when surveillance provided sufficient evidence that the termite population had been eliminated.
BAF chief plant protection officer Nitesh Datt said sustained fieldwork and cooperation from affected communities were critical to the successful eradication efforts.
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces supported delimiting surveys and baiting operations, while the National Disaster Management Office assisted in activating declared zones. The Fiji Police Force provided the Nakasi Police Post as a base for containment operations.
Treatment, inspections and surveillance are continuing in Ciriwai, with BAF urging residents to support access to properties, report suspected termite activity and avoid moving potentially infested materials.
Signs of infestation include swarming termites near lights, discarded wings and mud tubes on walls or timber.
