Growers are unable to send their products to the US due to the plague of fruit flies. Therefore it is considered urgent to address this problem so that the country, or at least great part of the state, can be declared free from this insect.
And to achieve these objectives, the federal authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) this year launched an extermination plan in Tamaulipas. This plan aims to reduce the fruit fly population by releasing 30 million sterile insects, to inhibit reproduction in the citrus region.
Ausencio Mata Medina, president of the Mexican Citrus Council, said that the federal agency is also trying to certify this citrus region as a fruit fly free zone “status that we have, according to reports from those same authorities, which show low prevalence of this insect. ”
It is considered important to reach such goals because it will allow growers to conduct unrestricted exports, like other states, where they have problems in
combating this insect and are restricted in selling fruit abroad.
He announced, moreover, that the orange production could fall up to 40 percent next year. It is estimated that about 240,000 tons of this citrus won`t be produced as a result of the high temperatures that we have been experiencing during this year.
But this problem, he said, is not only affecting the region of Tamaulipas, it is also affecting the entire country. Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi and Veracruz, which are the highest orange producing states, are having this same problem, mainly because most of the orchards are temporary.
Source: Hoytamaulipas
Publication date: 9/23/2011