In a statement yesterday, BAF, said the four-year project started this year with the assistance of the National Focal Point, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

BAF executive chairman, Xavier Khan, said they submitted a proposal to IAEA in 2014 for managing fruit flies in Fiji and it was approved last year.

Khan said one of the main aims of the IAEA project was to address fruit fly issue in Fiji and Rotuma. For Rotuma, he said the project aimed to suppress the levels of B. Kirki to low levels and possibly eradicate it using modern techniques.

According to BAF, fruit flies are a threat to fruit and vegetable production in Fiji and exports of these produce to overseas markets as they damage fruits and vegetables. "Fruit flies affecting fresh fruits and vegetables restrict trade as it can be transmitted to importing or trading countries through exports of fresh fruits and vegetables.

"Fiji has been subjected to stringent biosecurity import requirements from many developed countries and has further faced numerous challenges in the market access and export of these fruit fly host commodities because of the presence of B. kirki in Rotuma.

"Fiji has also faced suspensions in the past for export of these fruit fly host commodities namely breadfruit, papaya, eggplant and mangoes. While BAF has stringent monitoring and surveillance program to prevent the entry of B. kirki from Rotuma into Fiji through restrictions of fruits and vegetables from Rotuma to Fiji, there is still a pathway that could allow B. kirki to transmit through undeclared fruits and vegetables on vessels and air flights from Rotuma to Fiji."

Khan said if B. kirki entered Viti Levu, Fiji's current export of fresh produce to overseas market would be jeopardised. "This is why it is extremely important to manage and eradicate B kirki in Rotuma."

He added that the project would also help Fiji access export markets for its fruits and vegetables including those which were fruit fly host commodities such as breadfruit, papaya, mangoes, and eggplant in other countries too.

"The suppression and possibly eradication of B kirki population in Rotuma would also have overall benefit as it would reduce damages of fruits in Rotuma and benefit the subsistence, semi-commercial and commercial growers. The Rotuman farmers would be freely able to export their fresh produce to Fiji and other countries without restrictions of transmitting B kirki and earn foreign exchange."

According to BAF, Fiji, including Rotuma, has seven species of Tephritidae fruit flies which includes Bactrocera xanthodes and Bactrocera disctincta which are present in Fiji and Rotuma; Bactrocera passiflorae which is widespread in Fiji but is not present in Rotuma. Bactrocera species near passiflorae which is also present in Fiji only and B. kirki and B. obscura which only occur in Rotuma but not in other parts of Fiji. B. gnetum is in Vanua Levu. Out of the seven species only three species are considered to be economic species, which are B xanthodes, B passiflorae and B kirki.

Source: fijitimes.com