An emergency interim rule creating two quarantine zones to halt the spread of the coffee berry borer on and off the Big Island is expected to take effect in a few days.

The state Board of Agriculture today passed the rule halting the shipment of unroasted coffee berries, coffee plants and related bags off the Big Island, unless properly treated to kill the alien beetle and its larvae.

Contaminated coffee farm areas from Kaloko in South Kona to Manuka State Park in Kau also are barred from taking unroasted coffee berries, coffee plants, and related bags to areas on the Big Island that are still free of the coffee berry borer.

The quarantine rule will go into effect when it is published in newspapers in a few days and can remain in effect for a year, the state said.