But What About the Oranges?

There’s a Mexican Fruit Fly Invasion

Photo by author.

As we drive around the Rio Grande Valley area, we notice so many orange trees full of oranges that are not being picked but instead just left falling to the ground.

I can’t count how many times I have said to Rich that it is such a waste, and if they aren’t going to pick them they should let hungry people come pick them for free. But now I know why they don’t.

Screenshot of author’s phone.

Then I saw this alert come across my Facebook feed the other day. My phone knows exactly where I am and keeps me up to speed on all the goings on around here.

South Texas Citrus Quarantine Alert!

The Mexican Fruit Fly or Mexfly has infested all the orange trees here in the RGV area and all oranges are under quarantine and are not allowed to be picked for harvesting.

Photo by author.

This is an invasive pest that threatens the production of more than 50 fruit types in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of Texas and across the United States. It was first found in Central Mexico in 1863, and by the early 1950s flies were found along the California-Mexico border. The pest has since been detected in Arizona, California and Texas.

Mexican Fruit Fly | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

The Mexfly migrates to the RGV from unmanaged, highly infested citrus groves near the border in Mexico. As a result, the Texas citrus industry has been subject to one or more quarantines on an annual basis for over 80 years. Too bad we can’t keep the flies from crossing the border illegally.

Screenshot of author’s phone.

This warning just came across my feed again today. It’s sad to see all these delicious oranges just being left to rot. I said a few times that we should stop and pick two oranges to eat. Some orange trees are out in the middle of nowhere. I’m so glad we didn’t. The fly lays its eggs inside the oranges and when the larvae hatch they eat the orange.

The hard truth about this year’s orange harvest in the Rio Grande Valley is that there is no harvest.

I remember when we were here two years ago we stopped regularly at farmers markets along the highways. We haven’t seen anything like that this winter. And now I know why oranges and orange juice are expensive here. It all has to be shipped in from somewhere else.

The unharvested oranges are a catastrophe. If you would like to learn more about the Mexican Fruit Fly Invasion in South Texas you can watch the following video I found on YouTube from the local news station down here.

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