Officials battle medfly in Placencia
It may not have the headline appeal of mad cow or foot and mouth disease, but a tiny insect has the potential to wreak just as much havoc on Belizean agriculture. News 5’s Jose Sanchez travelled to Placencia to learn more about the notorious medfly.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
The Mediterranean Fruit Fly had not been seen in Belize in two and a half years. But on March fourteenth, a fertile fly was found in the village of Placencia. According to Dr. Michael Tewes, Managing Director for Belize Agriculture and Health Authority, the fruit and vegetable pest is a serious threat to the agricultural industry.
Dr. Michael Tewes, Managing Director, BAHA
“The southern region of this country is the citrus belt. The exportation of citrus in its entirety can be affected if the medfly should become established in Belize. So we are talking about losing any export of citrus to the United States or Mexico if the medfly was detected, so it’s tremendous economic loss. It definitely is a significant problem, which is why BAHA places tremendous importance on this programme down here.”
BAHA has been quick to act. Four days after the first detection of the fly, Placencia was placed under quarantine and since that time an entire network of surveillance has been placed around the country.
Delilah Cabb, Nat’l Medfly Co-ordinator
“The comprehensive surveillance programme entails having traps countrywide. We have a total of one thousand three hundred and twenty traps in the northern district and the Belize District. They are checked bi-weekly. Presently because of this Medfly detection in the Cayo District, they are checked weekly. And the southern District, that is Toledo and Stann Creek they are checked weekly.”
In addition to the checking of traps, BAHA inspectors in Placencia are also stripping the fruit from trees as well as spraying trees that could get infected.
BAHA has not been alone in the fight. The United States Department of Agriculture has always been a partner in fighting agricultural pests.
Crispin Blanco, USDA, Animal and Plant Inspection Rep.
“USDA has been involved in the medfly surveillance and eradication programme activities since 1977 when the memorandum of understanding was signed between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Ministry of Agriculture. We have been providing technical assistance through the technological transfer, training medfly technicians in the surveillance activities and also in the
the identification of fruit flies in general including the Mediterranean fruit fly.”
But how did the fly get to Placencia?
Delilah Cabb
“I believe it was imported. Why I believe it was imported is because if that fly had emerged from some fruit that was from Belize, there would be more than just one because the Medfly does not lay only one egg, they lay about three hundred eggs. So there ought to have been more than one Medfly detected by now if that had emerged from some fruit.”
USDA also believes that the medfly came in an illegal importation of produce from a neighbouring country. Guatemala for example has developed a strategy that we can use in the event of a catastrophe.
Crispin Blanco
“Over in Guatemala is the production of sterile flies in laboratory conditions. What they do is they produce these insects then they sterilise them, and they release them out in the field as a biological control. This activity during the release of these sterile flies in Guatemala some of these flies do fly over into Belize, and we tend to pick them up in our surveillance programme. USDA has trained technicians in Belize to be able to diagnose between a sterile and fertile fly in Belize.”
Part of the problem is that it is cheaper to import produce from Guatemala, and though it is illegal, some villagers are willing to take the risk. That is why BAHA checks vehicles and boats departing the peninsula.
Crispin Blanco
“Probably the quarantine can be strengthened a little bit, but as you know, the boundary between Belize and Guatemala is so wide people can come in anywhere. The coast is wide open for any boats to come in, so it’s very difficult to patrol and very costly. I think the quarantine can be improved slightly, but public awareness is more the main way to go.”
Michael Tewes
“I must say that the villagers in Placencia are very much aware of the problem. This is not the first time we have found a fly in Placencia and the control programme has been instituted many times. So yes we do communicate quite often with the village council and the village chairman. They are aware of the problem.”
Up to ten thousand dollars can be charged if someone is caught illegally importing fruits and vegetables from over the border. But because it is difficult to prove their origin, not even a mango is allowed to leave the area. All potential carriers of the pest, found at the checkpoints are eventually destroyed.
Inspector
“You guys don’t have any don’t have any fruits and vegetables in those bags, sir?”
Citizen
I wouldn’t know.
Inspector
Just let me have a look. No vegetables and fruits?”
Citizen
“As far as I see, only a hammock.”
Inspector
“This place is under quarantine at this point. We have Medflies here. We don’t want it spreading all over Belize.”
Jose Sanchez
“The quarantine prevents people from taking fruits and vegetables off the peninsula. However, if no more Mediterranean Fruit Fly is found during the three-month operation, the ban will be lifted on June nineteenth. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
