poor ibiza-oranges :-(
drink more ibiza-oj !
"...
Crop to Rot
Around 100 tonnes of oranges will be left on the trees to rot this summer
due to the price war which has continued to thwart the industry.
The general manager of Agroeivissa, the fruit and vegetable cooperative on the island,
claims the current low price of oranges has meant it has become more viable
to leave the fruit on the trees than actually pick it.
Jose Mayans explained that 200 tonnes had so far been picked by local producers
but that the final crop would more than likely be left on the trees to rot,
or more probably, be devoured by the fruit fly,
as the antidote was extremely expensive and would not prove cost effective.
The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is one of the world's most destructive
fruit pests. Although the species originated in sub-Saharan Africa, it has since
emigrated to most parts of the world.
Due to its wide distribution over the world, its ability to tolerate cooler climates
better than most other species of tropical fruit flies, and its wide range of hosts,
it is ranked first among economically important fruit fly species.
The adult med-fly lays its eggs under the skins of fruit, particularly
where the skin is already broken.
The eggs hatch within three days, and the larvae develop inside the fruit.
The adults have a limited ability to disperse, but the global fruit trade
can transport infected fruit over thousands of miles.
In this age of jet transportation, it can be transported from one part of the world
to some distant place in a matter of hours, which greatly complicates efforts
to contain it within its present distribution.
Once it is established, eradication efforts may be extremely difficult and expensive.
Mayans continued that the consumption of oranges had reduced significantly
on the island due to the fact so few places now served freshly squeezed orange juice.
This reduction has coincided with a sharp drop in price,
with a kilo of oranges now being sold by the cooperative at 46 centimes,
42.5 per cent less than last year's price.
..."
(ibiza-sun)