A new strain of the beetle, CRB-G, is resistant to traditional control methods, and the government said it could cause $US150 million dollars to be lost from the Pacific's coconut and palm oil industries every year.
CRB-G is established in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands where it is damaging palm trees.
New Zealand is contributing about $US11 million dollars to the fight, some of which will go to science institute AgResearch.
