Following a mysterious package sent to the United States, Canada has also received a shipment of seeds that have been sent from China. The Canadian food inspection agency has warned against planting these ‘unsolicited’ seeds.
In a statement, the agency was reported to have said that this is may contain invasive species may be extremely harmful to agricultural and natural resources.
The Ontario provincial police tweeted about this saying that the foreign seeds could have been typically sent from Taiwan or China. Some of these shipments have been labelled as jewellery and have been reported to be having Chinese handwriting. The seeds have been taken for further testing by the USDA, while the other kind of packages have been advised to be kept in sealed plastic bags until authorities collect it.
Meanwhile, Chinese foreign ministry has said in response to this that China’s postal service strictly adheres to restrictions on sending seeds. Beijing’s relations with Canada and Washington have deteriorated this year to what experts say is their lowest level in decades over issues ranging from trade and technology to the coronavirus pandemic.
So far, the main worry is that the seeds could belong to an invasive plant species that could spell havoc for farming and ecosystems alike if allowed to take root.
If you receive an unsolicited shipment of foreign seeds in the mail from China or Taiwan DO NOT plant or dispose of them. Call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) at 519 691-1306 or 1 800 442-2342. Unsolicited seeds could be invasive & threaten our environment. ^kj pic.twitter.com/n5hvlFS1W8
— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) July 28, 2020