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Medfly detected in the Stann Creek and Toledo districts

By on July 21, 2015
The Medfly

The Medfly

Punta Gorda town, Toledo. Tuesday, July 21, 2015. The detection of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, also known as Medfly, in te Stann Creek and Toledo districts has prompted a swift mobilization by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority, BAHA, today announced that the Medfly has been detected in Hopkins village in the Stann Creek district and in the Sapodilla Cayes in the Toledo district and that an eradication exercise has begun.

The eradication exercise is aimed at containing the pest and eradicating it quickly.

It is being carried out by BAHA and involves the stripping of fruits in the affected areas, ground spraying and delimitation trapping.

Since Belize has been declared Medfly free, officials believe that the latest detection in the Stann Creek and Toledo districts is due to fruits and vegetables that were brought into Belize illegally.

As such BAHA is appealing to Belizeans and visitors to respect the law and ensure that importation of any fruits or vegetables is done with a valid import permit issued by BAHA.

The Medfly is a pest that can devastate the economy as it could lead to the loss of our export markets if it spreads to areas where production for export is being done.

But it is not only the export market that stands to suffer.

Local entrepreneurs could also be severely affected if the Medfly becomes established as severe quarantine restrictions will then become necessary.

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