Oslo - Norwegian Agriculture Minister Terje Riis-Johansen on Thursday called for a national campaign against the much-vilified Spanish slug.
Gardeners and farmers in Norway and neighbouring Sweden and Denmark have in recent years reported how the slug, also known as Arion lusitanicus, has become a major pest, destroying plants and flowers and other crops.
"The Spanish slug has become a major problem for many gardeners and I fear it will be a major nuisance for the agriculture sector," Riis-Johansen said when he addressed a conference on the topic in the west coast city of Bergen.
The minister offered 10,000 kroner (2,000 dollars) as a reward for the best method to destroy the troublesome slug.