The Ministry of Agriculture reports the detection of Mediterranean fly in the traps in the Punta Cana area. The Punta Cana International Airport is a major entry point, with thousands of airlines arriving. It is likely the fly arrived on one of these flights.
The Med fly is an insect of the Ceratitis capitata species that is invasive for agricultural plantations, especially fruits.
Agriculture Minister Limber Cruz explained that protocols for control and eradication are now in place by the Moscafrut-RD program of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Plant Health. The insect was identified during the last week of December 2023.
Cruz reported that after the presence of the Mediterranean fly was known, the Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the main trading partner, and other phytosanitary protection organizations (NPPOs) were notified of the actions being taken.
Rosa Lazala, director of the Department of Plant Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, indicated that so far, no damage has been recorded in the area where the pest was detected since there is no agricultural production.
The early detection trap system seeks to impede the fly from moving to other areas of the country.
The Mediterranean fly is considered one of the most dangerous pests for agricultural production since it attacks more than 250 fruit species, including mangoes, avocados, oranges, pears, apples, guava, among others.
The last time this pest was detected in the DR was in 2015 and two years later it was eradicated.
The DR was declared free of this insect in 2017. The entry of the fly via Punta Cana at the time caused losses of US$40 million to farmers and agro-industrial operations. The experience led to the installation of the early detection system that has now alerted the entry of the Med fly.
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Diario Libre
El Dia
10 January 2024