Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Ukraine: Tuta absoluta found in Turkish tomatoes
The South American tomato moth (Tuta absoluta Meyr) was found in shipments of Turkish tomatoes by the employees of the Department of Phytosanitary Security and officers of the Security Service of Ukraine in Odessa Region last week.
Live larvae were discovered by the Illychivsk Phytosanitary Control Service inspectors in a shipment weighing 20,5 tons arrived from Turkey. Two days later the Odessa Commercial Trade Port Phytosanitary Control Service inspectors also found the South American tomato moth (live larvae) in the shipment weighing 19 tons with Turkey again as the supplying country.
It should be noted that Tuta absoluta is regularly identified in the southern regions of Ukraine almost every year. The specialists believe that the tomato moth gets to greenhouses during turnout of export containers or produce. If the spread of the pest is not stopped, the tomato crop losses may reach up to 80%.
According to Fruit-Inform, Turkey is the leading supplier of tomatoes to Ukraine with the share of more than 70% in Ukraine's total imports in 2013.