The Asian Fruit Fly attacks and damages tomatoes, citrus, cucumber, mango, cashew nuts, guava, green pepper, water melons squash pumpkins, butternuts, banana, avocado and several wild host plants including morula and the wild monkey orange (mogorogorwana)The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) spokesperson Geoffrey Pheko told Mmegi that the ministry has put some restrictions on fruits and vegetables to control the spread of the pest.He stated that although local produce is not enough to feed the nation, nothing can be done about it until the farms are completely treated. Pheko stated that the farms have been put under quarantine with immediate effect. Although he could not confirm when the restriction is going to end, he said the treatment would take some time depending on the process of treatment.
The main pathway for fruit flies to spread from one area to another, and from one country to another, is through the movement of infested fruits. "All fruits from affected farms should be subjected to either cold, or heat or chemical treatments for markets outside fruit fly infested areas," reads the statement.Fruits from affected farms will require a permit from the Plant Protection Division regardless of quantity.Currently Botswana spends P200 million per annum importing 34,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to supplement the 41,000 tonnes produced locally. The national requirement for fruits and vegetables is 75,000 tonnes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Botswana is not yet self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables production but mostly imports the shortfall from South Africa.
