The Ministry of Agriculture has announced it will be importing 100 million sterile male Medfly pests to halt the spread of Medfly in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture has also been fumigating Punta Cana International Airport where the pest was first detected. This led the US to ban 18 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables from the Dominican Republic, including bell peppers and avocados, with major losses for farmers.
Minister of Agriculture Angel Estevez announced that in the final phase of the process for the eradication of the pest, all recommendations received from the US have been implemented.