Nuclear technique helps Dominican Republic eradicate insect pest and resume fruit and vegetable exports (French Edition)

In 2017, the Dominican Republic eradicated a major agricultural pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly, with the help of a nuclear technique and the support of the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Two years after an outbreak led to considerable damage to its agricultural industry, the country declared in July 2017 that it was free of the insect. Authorities used the sterile insect technique (SIT) to eradicate the fly. The outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly in the Dominican Republic was first reported in March 2015 near the popular tourist city of Punta Cana, and rapidly spread to a 2000 square kilometre area in the east of the country. As soon as the Government announced the presence of the pest, the United States banned the import of 18 fruits and vegetables, severely affecting the country's exports. Fruits and vegetables represent approximately 30% of food exports, earning the Dominican Republic around US $610 million per year, according to the country's Central Bank. The ban resulted in an estimated loss of US $42 million in fruit and vegetable exports in 2015 alone, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Thanks to successful eradication efforts, the ban has now been completely lifted.