Fruit fly likely swatted by next harvest: Agro minister

Santo Domingo.- There’s a high probability that theMediterranean fruit fly will have been eliminated in the Dominican Republic bythe next fruit and vegetable harvest in around three months, Agriculture minister Angel Estevezpredicted on Wednesday.

"I expect this to be resolved by the time producers beginthe harvest," the official said, noting that under global protocol, thefinal process has already begun to eradicate the fly, which has substantially hobbledthe agro sector.

Estevez said the first batch of sterile male flies arrivein the country at the end of this month, adding that around 40 million of the3,000 million will be released over affected areas. “It’s the only way toremove the fly.”