Although the citrus harvest is almost over in the Rio Grande Valley, growers are still having to spend money to keep the Mexican fruit fly at bay.
The citrus industry in the Rio Grande Valley is the 3rd largest in the U.S. The Mexican fruit fly is spreading rapidly across the Rio Grande Valley.
Citrus grower, Dale Murden, says, "our costs are going up anywhere from 100 to 200 dollars an acre in some cases just to continually spray for the Mexican fruit fly."
Murden says it's a cost they have to pay year around.
There are many ways the pest can spread. One is through citrus tree's in people's back yards. Murden says if these trees aren't taken care of, the pest can use them to spread.
"The old sour orange trees in your backyard or any other fruit in your back yard that hangs on the trees you know needs to be disposed of because it's just harboring these fruit issues and magnifying them."
Abandoned orchards are also a problem. There isn't anyone to help keep the Mexican Fruit fly from investing that property.
Source: krgv.com
