US, Dominican officials mull ways to swat the fruit fly

Santo Domingo.- The US’ temporary ban on exports of certain agricultural products and only affects avocados, papaya, peppers and tomatoes.

Agriculture minister Angel Estevez, US embassy Agricultural attaché Morgan Perkins and Dominican Republic Export and Investment Center director Jean Alain Rodriguez on Thursday discussed the ban announced by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Aphis).

They agreed that the ban only affects a limited number of products that can be hosts of the fruit fly, whose presence was uncovered within a 22 kilometer radius from Punta Cana Airport.

Estevez stressed that both the Agriculture Ministry and the CEI-RD work together to eradicate the insect on Dominican soil.