Mediterranean fruit fly impacts Turkish agriculture

The Mediterranean fruit fly poses a significant threat to Turkish agriculture, with potential economic losses estimated by İYİ Party Deputy Chairman Kadir Ulusoy at 7 to 8 billion dollars. The pest affects various crops, including olives, citrus, and apples, across the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, and Central Anatolia regions. Ulusoy noted that the pest reduces olive quality by increasing acidity and damages citrus production, which is a vital export commodity.

To combat the pest, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has implemented biotechnological measures. In Mersin, monitoring efforts using 145 traps reported no pest populations above the economic damage threshold for 2026. The Ministry has distributed 11,750 mass trapping units and 30,000 liters of attractants to producers. Financial support for biological and biotechnological control has been provided, covering approximately 50 percent of the costs for pheromones and traps for producers.