Brazil: Quarantine pest intercepted in peaches from the US

More News Top Stories
Brazil: Quarantine pest intercepted in peaches from the US

Brazilian authorities have intercepted a shipment of U.S. peaches, citing the presence of a pest.

A shipment containing 576 kilos (1,270 pounds) of peaches from the United States was detained by the Intentional Agricultural Surveillance System (Vigiagro) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (Mapa) at São Paulo’s International Airport of Guarulhos.

According to the Federal Agricultural Fiscal Auditor, Guilherme Farias, the peaches arrived at the airport on Friday, June 7. Upon analyzing the material, Vigiagro confirmed the presence of a caterpillar and subsequently sent it for laboratory analysis to precisely identify the species.

Mapa reported that the analysis identified the pest as Anarsia lineatella, a type of borer from the order Lepidoptera, which is not present in Brazil.

The cargo underwent fumigation to mitigate the risk of its escape and potential introduction into Brazil, followed by its destruction through incineration.

The agency did not report the exact origin of the fruit, such as the exporter or the area in the United States where it came from.

Anarsia lineatella affects stone fruit trees such as apricots, peaches, plums and almonds. Occasionally it can be found on pear, quince and apple trees.

Subscribe to our newsletter