A California city is about to have all fruit trees stripped

Over 2,000 homeowners in Southern California are set to have the fruit forcibly removed from their trees as state agriculture officials work tirelessly to eliminate the invasive Oriental fruit fly.

In an effort to prevent the spread of pests and diseases, workers are currently conducting a door-to-door operation in the Redlands area of San Bernardino County. Their task is to remove any fruit from citrus trees and other fruit-producing plants. This initiative, led by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, will continue until February.

A California city is about to have all fruit trees strippedPhoto byLos Angeles Times

The fruit removal is deemed "mandatory" and is to be exclusively carried out by CDFA and other contracted workers, according to the department. Residents have been instructed not to take fruit from trees or transport produce from their property.

Residents are being advised to double-bag any fallen fruit and dispose of it in their regular trash bin, rather than their green waste recycling bin.

A species known as the Oriental fruit fly has become a major concern for California's agriculture industry. These small insects, resembling tiny bees with their yellow and black appearance, have been infesting crops and posing a threat to the state's vital agricultural sector.

Insects lay their eggs in fruit, and these eggs eventually hatch into maggots that burrow through the crops.

The CDFA has warned that if the Oriental fruit fly is not controlled, it could establish a permanent presence and result in billions of dollars in annual losses, posing a significant threat to California's food supply.

Several species, such as the Queensland fruit fly, the Tau fly, and the Mediterranean fruit fly, have recently led to quarantines being implemented.

In a recent initiative, the agriculture department took action by releasing millions of sterile Mediterranean fruit flies over Los Angeles. This Preventative Release Program has been hailed as successful in curbing populations, according to officials.

The source: kron4