The agriculture ministry says a local ban on fruits and vegetables from the Dominican Republic is not necessary as Jamaica does not import fruits and vegetables from that country.
The Mediterranean fruit fly pest has been detected in the Dominican Republic.
Permanent Secretary in Jamaica’s Agriculture Ministry, Donovan Stanberry, says the quarantine division has been put on high alert to look out for travellers who may be seeking to enter Jamaica from the Dominican Republic with fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Stanberry says Jamaica is now taking steps to increase its production to fill the gap left by the Dominican Republic on the US market.
Permanent Secretary in Jamaica’s Agriculture Ministry, Donovan Stanberry
The US suspended imports in March and yesterday Trinidad and Tobago became the latest territory to impose a ban.
The Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly, lays its eggs in fruits and vegetables, seriously reducing the yield and quality of many crops such as mango, guava, avocado, papaya, coffee and peach.
