With increasing globalization facilitated by World Trade Organization agreements and other treaties, the international trade in agricultural commodities has become an integral part of the global economy. The total value of world agricultural exports experienced an annual increase of 12.3 percent between 2003 and 2005, from $525 billion to $654 billion. Agricultural commodities are, however, natural carriers of exotic insect pests. These pests can cause major local economic losses when accidentally introduced to new areas without co-evolved natural enemies. To reduce the risk of introducing pests, importing countries or regions impose quarantine or phytosanitary requirements on the hosts of targeted pests.
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