Chile eradicates fly infestation Ceratitis capitata

By Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages

The Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) terminated its fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) eradication campaign in the Iquique district. 

The Regional Director, Alfredo Fröhlich, has declared that the region is once again “free” of this agricultural pest, which is one of the most dangerous for the sector and can affect the production and quality of more than 250 fruit and vegetable species. 

Since 1995, Chile has been declared free of the fruit fly (Family Tephritidae), which constitutes a comparative advantage for the export industry of fresh fruit and vegetable products. Within the American continent, it is the only country which is free of these insects and the SAG is the plant protection organization that must maintain this condition. The Fruit Flies Program, through a National Sensitive Detection System, is in charge of preventing this pest from establishing itself in the country.

It should be remembered that the last fruit fly eradication campaign began after the detection of six wild specimens of fruit flies in different parts of Iquique. "Completed the biological cycle and without having detected new specimens in our traps installed throughout the commune for the early discovery of this type of insects, the SAG Tarapacá ends this campaign," Fröhlich said.

Fernando Chiffelle, the region's agricultural secretary, congratulated the work carried out by SAG Tarapacá officials, who stated, despite the state of national emergency, they continued to develop their actions to combat the presence of the fruit fly in Iquique and thus preserve the heritage phytosanitary of the region.

“This is very good news for all the people of Tarapaque since as a result of our border permeability and the highly clandestine entry of fruit and vegetable products into the area, the region has faced fruit fly eradication campaigns in communities such as Iquique, Alto Hospice, Pica and Huara. Today, we can proudly say that we have won a battle, but we must remain vigilant to protect the health of our agriculture, so important in these times of the pandemic. That is why I call on the community not to buy food of dubious origin,” Chiffelle added.