Status of Oriental fruit fly in South Africa and control measures
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) hereby makes an announcement on the national status of the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) and the associated control measures. The Oriental fruit fly is an exotic fruit fly native to Asia, previously described from Africa as the Invader fruit fly (Bactrocera invadens).
It is now found in at least 65 countries and in most of Africa’s sub-Saharan countries. The crop hosts include mango, guava, citrus, avocado, banana, coffee, papaya, passion fruit, pear, apricot peach, cherry, apple, pepper and tomato.
This pest can result in food insecurity, yield reduction, job losses, market restrictions and high production and post-harvest costs, if not effectively controlled.
In South Africa the status of this pest as of October 2015 to date is as follows:
|
Province |
District |
Status and action
|
|
Vhembe District Municipality |
Present, and subject to official control |
|
Mopani District Municipality |
Present, and subject to official control |
|
|
Sekhukhune District Municipality |
Present, only in some areas where host crop(s) are grown, and subject to official control |
|
|
Capricorn District Municipality |
Present, only in some areas where host crop(s) are grown, and subject to official control |
|
|
Waterberg District Municipality |
Present, only in some areas where host crop(s) are grown, and subject to official control |
|
|
Ehlanzeni District Municipality |
Present, and subject to official control |
|
Nkangala District Municipality |
No longer present |
|
|
Ngaka Modiri District Municipality |
Present, only in some areas and subject to official control |
|
Bojanala Platinum District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
City of Tshwane Municipality |
Present seasonally in some areas and subject to official control |
|
iLembe District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
Harry Gwala District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
Ugu District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
uMkhanyakude District Municipality |
Present only in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
Uthungulu District Municipality |
Present at low prevalence, seasonal in some areas and subject to official control |
|
|
|
Absent. Pest eradicated from the Sarah Baartman District Municipality |
|
|
Absent, pest eradicated from the Frances Baard District municipality |
|
|
Absent |
|
|
Absent |
This pest can be controlled by practicing effective orchard/field sanitation, chemical control and control of the removal of host material from quarantine (infested) areas to non-quarantine (non-infested) areas.
Orchard sanitation is the collection of all fallen and rotten fruit/fruiting vegetables, burying them in a pit or trench and covering with half a metre of soil, or placing them into a black refuse bag, closing it and exposing it to the sun. In terms of chemical control, Male Annihilation (MAT) blocks and protein bait
stations such as M3s or protein bait sprays can be applied. As part of the official control mechanism, community members and farmers are reminded not to remove fruit from quarantine areas to non-quarantine areas without first receiving a removal permit which should be applied and obtainable from the DAFF in terms of the Control Measures R.110 of the Agricultural Pests Act,1983 (Act No. 36 of 1983).
They are also advised to clear away (bag or bury) unwanted fruit in home gardens and on farms and apply chemical control.
International travellers are advised to avoid illegal importation of agricultural commodities into South Africa because this may lead to the introduction of new pests and diseases which are expensive and difficult to manage.
Please do not remove the fruit-fly trapping buckets placed along roadsides, in production areas and other public areas.
Their presence is essential to the national exotic fruit fly surveillance programme. People in all provinces producing the host crops of this pest are advised to stay alert and practice the stipulated preventative control measures.
For further information contact:
Steve Galane
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail: SteveGAL@daff.gov.za
