RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Sunday that no cases of watermelon virus had been found in agricultural fields in Palestine.
Mahmoud Fatafta, the ministry’s spokesman, said plant diseases do not transmit to people regardless of their type, and therefore pose no threat to public health or consumers and urged citizens to remain calm.
His remarks came after Israeli media reported in recent days that watermelon crops in several areas in Israel had been affected by a virus, prompting the Israeli Agriculture Ministry, in cooperation with relevant teams and insurance companies, to destroy about 1,000 dunums of affected crops.
Fatafta said that the virus had spread in Israel this year by five to six times due to the spread of whiteflies and aphids, which contribute to higher infection rates, as well as heavy rainfall and temperature fluctuations.
He said watermelon imports into Palestinian markets are not carried out regularly, but only when needed to cover shortages in local production and are subject to specific monitoring regulations and conditions imposed by the ministry before the product is allowed to enter the market.
He noted that some agricultural products may occasionally enter through smuggling channels outside official procedures, stressing that security and monitoring authorities follow up on such cases and take necessary measures against offenders.
The ministry of agriculture called on farmers to continue monitoring their fields, carry out necessary spraying operations, and maintain communication with ministry teams for technical guidance.
It also advised farmers to avoid approaching infected watermelon fields or using the same agricultural tools, including scissors, plows, and transport equipment during spraying, plowing, or harvesting operations to prevent the virus from spreading between fields.
