Mango growers upbeat with exports, wary of fly

Bani, Dominican Republic.- Every summer the Baní Mango Fair brings optimism to growers and income to the Dominican Republic, where a fly threatens to ravage plantations and, according to experts, leads to losses as high as 20% in each year’s harvest.

The Anastrepha obliqua fly harms local mango crops, destroys up to 20% or 40% of the harvest each year, and threatens its export to the United States

Agriculture Ministry plant health technician, Ángel Roa says the plague makes it increasingly difficult to sell mangoes to the United States. ”The United States does not want to take the fly there. They do not have it. ”

The Dominican Republic has just had recently eradicated the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) which hobbled exports of avocado, peppers and papaya and left losses as high as US$40.0  million.

According to Dominican Government statistics, the United States and Canada are the biggest importers of local mangoes.