Sterile Insect Plant Operation Will Facilitate Border Reopening
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
TAPACHULA, Mexico – The sterile insect production plant, backed by binational investment from Mexico and the United States to combat the pest of the corn borer, located in the state of Chiapas, will provide confidence to the U.S. government to reopen the border and resume exports of Mexican livestock, project members stated. Representatives from Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development offered a tour of the facility on Tuesday, located in the municipality of Metapa de Domínguez, where it was reported that they have already received their first biological material, which is the breeding stock to start the fly colony. Project coordinator Humberto Gómez Velásquez stated that the weekly goal is to reach the production of one hundred million flies, which will 'provide confidence to the neighboring country for the reopening of the border,' he added. Gómez Velásquez explained that 'the eradication process must come from the north of the continent - the southern United States and northern Mexico - through a sweep with the dispersion of sterile flies.' The plant began operations on June 28, and according to authorities, by mid-July it will produce the first 28 million sterile flies each week, a figure that will increase to reach one hundred million by the end of 2026. Additionally, the facility will complement the other one hundred million available from the production plant in Pacora, Panama. 'We will start adding to the flies from Panama. We will be sending 1.5 million flies daily to the packing center, either to (the Mexican city of) Tampico or Texas,' the coordinator assured about this project that had an investment of $57 million.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
