Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) has ended Mediterranean fruit fly eradication efforts in San Bernardo following three months of not finding any insects.

In the first week of this year, 16 Medflies were found in the area to the southwest of the capital Santiago.

SAG said that restrictions on exports and domestic sales on fruit produced in that area have now been lifted.

The organization said its employees implemented a comprehensive plan, which involved visiting houses, treating the ground and applying organic insecticides.

They did this in all the neighboring parts of the community and increased the number of traps around the area of detection.

SAG determined that the pest entered the country hidden in fruit, which it said most likely came from Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay or Brazil.

www.freshfruitportal.com