MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mediterranean flies in Chilean fruit.

The Chilean Agriculture and Livestock (sanitary) Service confirmed the intensification of monitoring and controls following the discovery of several Mediterranean flies, (ceratitis capitata) in the urban area of Calle Larga in the country's Fifth region.

SAG Director Carlos Parra Merino said that the specimens were found in the normal trap monitoring system which sanitary officials have all along the country to detect on time the possible introduction of the fruit disease.

"Additional traps have been set up as well as intensive fruit sampling", said Mr. Parra Merino.

However Mr. Parra Merino indicated that at the most "285,000 boxes of grapes, mostly Red Globe, and which so far represent 1% of exports from the area have been potentially exposed to the fly".

SAG Director explained that export shipments will not be suspended since for most European and South American countries it is not a limiting factor, and regarding United States and Asia a quarantine system with a radius of 7,2 kilometres from the detected cages is imposed.

Besides controls are extensive to all fruit transport and the search now also includes all stages of the insect life, eggs, larvae and the fly itself.

Mr. Parra Merino finally appealed to the Chilean population insisting that no fresh fruit must be introduced into the country, given the risks involved and the over costs and loss of prestige that any mention of fruit diseases can have for overseas shipments.