The “thrips” pest has been eradicated, according to Minister of Agriculture

Santo Domingo—Thrips (order Thysanoptera) are minute slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts, have been eradicated from the Dominican Republic, the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, said Wednesday.

The insect pest entered the country and settled in San Juan de la Maguana in early January, affecting some bean crops.

The minister explained that the pest was eliminated thanks to the intervention and research of a scientist from the University of California, United States.

The expert arrived in the national territory to tour, together with other international and local authorities, the legume crops that were attacked.

“We saved one part, and the other was damaged,” said Cruz about the crops in San Juan de la Maguana, where 90% of long grain and round grain red beans are grown, while 10% are black beans.

The Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, in a press conference at the institution’s headquarters.

The minister pointed out that producers lost between 45 and 50 % of the crops.

“For a matter of rearrangement and that sometimes (producers) get out of the planting date, that attracts a lot of diseases and pests. We have that inconvenience,” said Cruz during a press conference held at the headquarters of Agriculture.

Thrips, known as Thysanoptera, are tiny insects affecting many agricultural crops.

The thrips pest eats the flowers of crops and dries them before producing grains. It attacks avocado, mango, guava, pears, and vegetables such as eggplant, among other crops.

IMPORTS
The Government was forced to import beans to recover half of the losses suffered by San Juan’s production, as well as to supply the population, the minister told reporters.

Most of the beans came from the United States, the Dominican Republic’s main trading partner. According to the official, the volume imported was around 40%.

The subject of imports came up after a journalist asked the minister if there would be enough beans during the celebration of Holy Week, whose religious commemoration will begin next Sunday, the 24th, until Saturday, the 30th.

For those dates, the demand for the leguminous plants is triggered by the preparation of “habichuelas con dulce”, a dessert that is part of the Dominican culture.

“There will be beans for Easter,” Limber Cruz replied. “I love them too,” he stressed about the dessert.