New occurrences of the invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens have been detected in the Vhembe region.

This was announced by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in December last year and follows on the heels of several other detections in Limpopo and Mpumalanga earlier that year.

As the fly causes severe damage to host plants, including mangoes, citrus, guavas, papayas, bananas, bell peppers, pumpkins and tomatoes, a quarantine area has been called near the Kruger National Park, spanning east to west from Mhinga village to  Makonde village, and north to south between the Soutpansberg mountain range and the Levubu river.

In most of the areas where the invasive fly was detected earlier last year, the pest has been successfully eradicated, with a few areas currently still under eradication. According to a press release by the department, the areas which were successfully eradicated are Baltimore, Burgershall, Deerpark, Groblersbrug, Hoedspruit, Limburg, Musina, Pontdrif, Weipe and Tzaneen. By the beginning of December, the department indicated that the areas still under eradication were Beit Bridge, Komatipoort, Levubu, Makhado (Louis Trichardt), Tshipise and Witvlag.

Vice-chairman of the Soutpansberg District Agricultural Union Mr Fritz Ahrens last week indicated that the quarantine for the area Makhado (Louis Trichardt) to Levubu was lifted in mid-December. “As part of the quarantine, a ban was put on the import and export of all fruit in and out of the area, without the necessary documentation that your fruit and farm are clean,” Ahrens said.

According to Ahrens, he is not aware of any losses suffered by farmers in the union’s area. “This fruit fly is no more destructive than our own indigenous species and is easily kept under control through the use of pesticides. It is, however, commendable that government still tries to eradicate and limit the spread of this invasive fruit fly through legislation,” Ahrens said.

Upon enquiry, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ directorate of Plant Health confirmed to the Zoutpansberger that the area between Mhinga village to the Makonde village is still under quarantine. “Quarantine will be a minimum period of 12 weeks after the last fruit fly specimen was detected in the quarantine area. Specimens of Bactrocera invadens are still detected weekly in this area,” said the directorate’s Mashudu Silimela.

Silimela stated that no fruit will be allowed to be moved outside the quarantine area without a permit. “However fruit is allowed to be moved into the area. Fruit can be allowed out of the area if a producer complies with certain phytosanitary conditions and has applied for a permit at DAFF. These conditions entails compulsory orchard or field sanitation on a weekly basis, bait sprays (ground, aerial), a male-annihilation programme, and weekly inspections of fruit, which includes fruit cutting,” Silimela said. He added that although the quarantine for the area between Louis Trichardt en Levubu had been lifted, the quarantine is still active in the Witvlag area.