Yucatán’s Sterile Flies to Wipe Out Livestock Pest

Yucatán, Mexico — Yucatán is poised to become a strategic hub in the fight against the New World screwworm parasite, with plans to begin production of sterile flies designed to break the pest's reproductive cycle.

Edgardo Medina Rodríguez, head of the State Secretariat of Rural Development (Seder), confirmed the initiative. He stated that since the pest first arrived in Yucatán on March 5, preventative work has been conducted with various organizations across the state's different regions to mitigate the problem, which remains under control.

"The project is being developed through the Biological Control Laboratory of the Veterinary Faculty of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) in a collaborative effort. We hope the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica) will give its approval so we can share good news shortly," the official commented.

Project in Coordination with Senasica and Universities

Medina Rodríguez indicated that the objective is for Senasica to verify that the necessary conditions exist for the production of sterile flies, allowing a project to materialize in the short term. Production is anticipated to begin in 2026.

Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena has also addressed the issue, stating that his administration promotes scientific research and technological innovation as key tools to protect the health of Yucatán's citizens.

"In Yucatán, we want to leverage this technology and this knowledge so that sterile flies to combat the New World screwworm can be produced here as soon as possible. This is a pest that affects the countryside and livestock farmers across all of Mexico," the governor expressed.

Binational Project with the United States

In a binational project with the United States, Mexico aims to eradicate the New World screwworm within a period of at least five years. The plan involves producing 500 million sterile flies per week, a strategy intended to significantly reduce the 19-year timeframe it took to achieve eradication in 1991.

Currently, a facility is being adapted to produce one hundred million sterile flies in Metapa, Chiapas, through a joint investment of 51 million dollars.

Control and Response Actions in Yucatán

In the state, the protocol to prevent the proliferation of the New World screwworm—which involves responding to reports and training livestock farmers—has proven effective, according to Manuel Medina Castro, president of the Registered Bovine Cattle Association.

"Today, coordination with the State Government is real and effective. Work is being carried out in an organized manner with visible results. With everyone's collaboration, we will be able to overcome this situation in the short term," he stated.

Mario Esteban López Meneses, president of the Regional Livestock Union of Eastern Yucatán (Ugroy), emphasized the importance of maintaining unity between authorities and producers.

Currently, 26 veterinarians are working in the field, responding to reports and training livestock farmers. "We attend to all cases with an average response time of four hours or less, seven days a week," he specified.

The integrated pest management approach includes actions for reporting, treatment, trapping, and training, in addition to the participation of universities and the exploration of biological control alternatives.

As of November 8, 1,093 cases of New World screwworm have been registered in Yucatán, while 10,011 cases have been accumulated nationally, according to data from the federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.