Aerial Baiting
As part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, FFA co-ordinates the area-wide (AW) aerial baiting of an organically certified, attract-and-kill insecticide on commercial plantings, on behalf of producers, by way of helicopters and/or fixed-wing aeroplanes. This is done in accordance with the statutory measure that was approved and documented in the government gazette of 2 Dec 2020 (No. 43952).
It is widely accepted that aerial baiting is a highly effective strategy to control fruit fly populations. This is due to the “blanket” effect when large regions get covered in a relatively short time frame, and in a synchronised way. Aerial baiting mostly takes place in the warmer months when fruit fly numbers start increasing, and baitings are repeated every 2 weeks. Another benefit of area-wide aerial baiting, as opposed to uncoordinated ground baiting, is that inaccessible places, like riverbeds and natural vegetation, can effectively be treated.
The below table gives an approximation* of the extent of our program and the regions covered. The number of baiting per region differs based on the agreed statutory measure at that point in time, and if any voluntary baiting are requested by producers:
Province | Production region | Hectares covered* |
---|---|---|
Northen Cape | Orange River | 18 000 ha |
Eastern Cape | Langkloof | 4 400 ha |
Western Cape | Hex River Valley (incl. De Wet, Brandwacht, Nuy & Breeriver) | 7 500 ha |
Elgin & Grabouw (incl. Hemel en Aarde) | 6 600 ha | |
Vyeboom & Villiersdorp (incl. Kaaimansgat) | 4 800 ha | |
Warm Bokkeveld | 4 400 ha | |
Wolseley | 1 800 ha | |
Tulbagh | 1 400 ha | |
Olifants River | 750 ha | |
Total | 49 650 ha |