A sustained 30-year
old battle has resulted in the
tired but indefatigable
Chileans claiming a resounding victory over the
Mediterranean fruitfly which
caused so much damage to
the Chilean economy. The
consequences of the fruitfly's
menace led to other nations
boycotting Chilean agricultural produce.
The Chilean war included such tactics as
spraying pesticides like
malathion and also confiscating all organic material
entering the country. Inspections at the end of 1995
revealed that all regions of
Chile, except for the one in
the extreme north, were
rid of the fly. Christened
Medfly and considered to
be the world's most dreaded agricultural - pest, it
lays eggs inside fruits and
vegetables, forcing them
to rot.
Chile's agricultural exports, which are now worth
us $1 billion, could go up by
us $500 million by the end of
the decade. The nation could
now export apples, grapes,
avocados, kiwis and other
fruits. "By freeing ourselves
of this plague, our country
has overcome a major barrier
to our fruit exports," said
Emiliano R Otega, Chile's
agriculture minister. Scientists, however, caution that
the Medfly is known to
resurface after an absence,
and that ,the campaign for
its eradication should be
continued to prevent its
resurgence.
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