Chile: Mediterranean fruit fly found in Santiago forces to extreme controls

Tholen – The phytosanitary authorities from Chile found two specimens of the commonly known Mediterranean fruit fly at the south of the capital Santiago. The scientific name of this fruitfly is Ceratitis capitatais, one of the world's most destructive fruit pests. The two specimens fell in a trap that authorities commonly use to control pests and diseases. The authorities will declare a quarantine zone with a ratio of 7,2 kms from the point where the two flies were found.

According to Francisco Bahamondes, director of the Agriculture and Livestock Service (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero - SAG), the plague has been transported by somebody with contamined fruit from a foreign country, since Chile is qualified as “country free of Mediterranean fruit fly”. Illegal transport of fruit is the main cause of these kind of problems warns Mr. Bahamonde. Therefore, “we have to intensify the controls on frontier” he adds.

Publication date: February 27 2007
Author: Jahir Lombana
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