Medfly pic

Chile’s Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) has launched its emergency fruit fly action plan following the discovery of adult flies and larvae in the city of La Serena in the Coquimbo region.

Traps have been installed within a 7.2km quarantine zone established around the detection site, in accordance with established protocols with the US, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and other markets, in addition to which houses and buildings in the surrounding area are being fumigated with the aim of immediately eliminating the pest.

In the case of exports to China, the existing protocol calls for shipments from the entire region to be quarantined. However, Asoex said the fact that the swift action taken by SAG to deal with the outbreak and the fact that it had occurred in an urban zone meant it might instead be possible to limit the quarantine zone to a radius of 27.2km.

The authorities pointed out that in accordance with international protocols, the detection did not mean that Chile would lose its status as a fruit fly free country.

Asoex said it would continue to monitor the situation closely.