It's considered one of the world's most destructive pests of grain and horticulture - and now the tiny insect has hitchhiked it's way onto Australian shores.
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The arrival of the khapra beetle has prompted the federal government to inject an additional $14.5 million into border biosecurity measures in an attempt to keep out the grain pest.
The announcement comes a week after The Land reported that NSW Farmers' were lobbying for more biosecurity funding to protect agriculture with president James Jackson renewing calls for the federal government to re-commit to the biosecurity imports levy.
Related reading: NSW Farmers' call for biosecurity funding to protect ag
Mr Jackson said khapra beetle had crawled out from white goods in Canberra recently, which, if it became endemic in Australia would affect wheat and barley.
"You talk about wanting to make a difference with stories you write then you have certainly done that," Mr Jackson said about The Land reporting on the push for more biosecurity funding.
"I recognise and welcome the $14.5m but a more strategic response is required as well as the onshore biosecurity container levy."
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said in a statement that detections of the pest at international borders were increasing worldwide, and an outbreak in Australia could cost more than $15.5 billion over 20 years.
He said the $14.5 million - to be spent over the next 18 months - would go into additional resources for cargo inspections, rapid diagnostic technology, surveillance and operational system enhancements.
"It is a devastating pest of stored grains and dried foods," Mr Littleproud said.
"However-like the brown marmorated stink bug-it has increasingly been found hitchhiking outside these food sources in containers and packaging.
"As a trading nation Australia cannot simply close its borders. Our biosecurity system must evolve and respond to changing risks."
NSW Agirculture Minister Adam Marshall, who has been pressuring the federal government to maximise "its efforts to keep pests and other diseases out of our country", said the funding was welcome.
"I just hope it's not too late, given the beetle is already in the country," Mr Marshall told The Land.
"We already have several outbreaks in Australia of the beetle, it's in Western Australia now too thanks to breaches of the Australia biosecurity system."
Mr Littleproud also announced on Tuesday that more than 60,000 mail items had been intercepted by border authorities in 2020 due to biosecurity concerns, an increase of 3000 on the year before.
He said that between October 15 and November 24, some 422 mail items were seized as they contained commodities that risked khapra beetle proliferation.
