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[Invasive Pest Threatens A$18 Billion Grain Industry] 1. Australia's Department of Agriculture announced that larvae of a beetle called the "sawgrass beetle" have been found in imported diapers sold in supermarkets nationwide, raising concerns that the pest could invade grain storage facilities and disrupt agricultural exports. The Agriculture Minister stated that the beetles, which feed on stored food, arrived in Australia in a shipping container. 2. The beetle poses the greatest threat to Australia's A$18 billion grain industry. If established, it could lead to trading partners rejecting Australian goods, resulting in significant losses. The president of the New South Wales Farmers' Association stated that the impact of the pest would be comparable to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Australia, and the damage it would cause would be beyond imagination. 3. As of Thursday, Australia had managed to trace nearly 1,500 boxes of affected diapers, but some remain in circulation. The Department of Agriculture has asked consumers who purchased the affected products to seal them and contact the government. The diaper brand in question, "Little One's Ultra Dry Nappy Pants Walker Size 5," is supplied by Belgian manufacturer Ontex and is currently sold exclusively at Woolworths, Australia's largest supermarket chain. ⑷ Woolworths has removed the affected products from shelves and quarantined them. Ontex stated that the source of the larvae is unknown and there is no evidence that they were introduced during the production process. The company's manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Sydney have been temporarily suspended until a full inspection is completed and it is confirmed that production can resume safely. ⑸ The beetle is native to India but has spread to many countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Currently, the beetle has not been found in Australia.