Chile: SAG confirms eradication of fruit fly in Los Andes and San Esteban

The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) of the Valparaíso region in Chile has successfully eradicated fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) outbreaks in the Los Andes and San Esteban communes, lifting quarantines and allowing for the resumption of fruit exports without quarantine treatments. This achievement was possible due to a dedicated team of over 70 employees who used various techniques, including traps, soil treatments, and the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), affecting 459 properties under quarantine. The campaign, which targeted the fruit fly population, primarily in table grape farms but also in walnut and stone fruit farms, involved the inspection of thousands of fruits, the installation of traps, soil treatments, and an extensive internal quarantine. This success is hailed as significant by regional officials, marking a crucial step in protecting the region's agricultural sector from harmful pest outbreaks.

The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) of the Valparaíso region reported that after extensive work it managed to eradicate the fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata W.) outbreaks in the Los Andes and San Esteban communes. In this regard, the regional director of the SAG, Astrid Tala Díaz, said that the achievement allows the quarantines in these areas to be lifted, benefiting local producers and facilitating the export of fruit without the need for quarantine treatments. It is important to remember that in March of this year, the SAG detected two specimens of this pest in the El Sauce sector, in the Los Andes commune, and shortly after identified two other insects in San Esteban. In this regard, the SAG activated a control and eradication campaign in a productive area known for its exports, mainly of table grapes. To achieve this goal, the institution deployed a team of more than 70 people, including personnel hired specifically for both outbreaks, with the aim of carrying out ...