Ordinance establishes the state of Roraima as an area under quarantine for Carambola Fly

It was published this Monday (10/04), the Ordinance No. 780 declaring the state of Roraima as an area under quarantine for the current quarantine pest Bactrocera carambolae (Carambola Fly). The status implies the prohibition of the transit of fruits that host the pest to other states.

This is a preventive measure, which is part of a set of actions that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) has been adopting since the introduction of the pest in the country in 1996, aiming to keep it under control and restricted to areas where it is currently found (in the states of Amapá, Roraima and part of Pará), with the aim of preventing its spread to other areas without the plague occurring in the country.

Brazil is the third largest fruit producer in the world and the carambola fly is the main threat to maintaining the already established and constantly expanding export markets for fruit growing. The last time the state of Roraima was restricted from trade in fruits that host the pest was from May 2018 to June 2019.

The declaration will remain in force for an indefinite period, until the pest situation (quantity, location and level of control of outbreaks) within the state of Roraima is at a level considered safe by the national coordination of the Program, under the responsibility of the Department of Plant Health and Agricultural Inputs.

The carambola fly is characterized as a quarantine pest present in Brazil, and its dispersion can cause great economic losses. “We emphasize that the population should not transport fruits and vegetables from areas where the pest occurs, which, when dispersed, can cause countless losses for farmers in other regions”, highlights the director of the Department of Plant Health and Agricultural Inputs, Edilene Cambraia.

The pest Bactrocera carambolae causes damage not only to starfruit, but to several other fruits such as guava, acerola, tangerine, cashew, cherry, among others.