Dominican Republic progresses swiftly in Mediterranean Fly eradication

Punta Cana.- The Dominican Republic is making remarkable strides towards swiftly eradicating the Mediterranean fly, employing the final phase of the international protocol, as stated by Engineer Rosa Lazala, the Director of Plant Health at the Ministry of Agriculture.

Lazala announced that the release of the initial 3 million sterile males this week signifies a significant advancement in the process of achieving record time eradication of the fly.

Emphasizing the progress, Lazala highlighted that since January 23, no captures have been recorded in the traps strategically placed in the detection area in Punta Cana, with the MTD (Mediterranean fly Trap Density) remaining at zero.

Lazala reassured that the trading partners of the Dominican Republic can trust in the collaborative efforts of national and international authorities actively engaged in eradicating the fly. Furthermore, he mentioned that the complete elimination of the insects will be officially announced in the coming days.

Acknowledging the cooperative efforts, Lazala credited international agri-food protection organizations such as Oirsa, Senasica, Moscamed, and Mexico, along with FAO and Aphis-USDA. He also commended the dedicated work carried out by Plant Health technicians in achieving this significant milestone.