THE FIRST  batch of 113,000 Christmas trees from Canada and the US carried in 150 refrigerated containers has arrived in Panama.

The containers are  inspected by Panamanian officials to prevent the entry of pests and diseases says Darío Gordón,  director of Plant Health at the Ministry of Agricultural Development,

One of the unwanted visitors that most worries the authorities is the "Lymantria dispar", commonly known as Asian gypsy moth, said Gordon said during the official presentation of a program of public certification of organic food on Monday, November 20.

In Panama, trees are usually decorated close to Mother’s Day, December 8.

After the  Christmas holidays, a massive collection of firs will be organized by Panama’s Urban and Domiciliary Cleaning Authority (AAUD) with the aim of converting them into organic fertilizer