Valley Center, Surrounding Areas in Quarantine After Discovery of Invasive Mexican Fruit Fly

The discovery of several Mexican Fruit Flies has caused a quarantine in the Valley Center and surrounding areas, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) said.

The quarantine is effective Aug. 19 and the quarantine boundary is 77 square miles from Pauma Valley south to Lake Wohlford and from Moosa Canyon east to the Rincon Reservation.

The Mexican Fruit fly is an agricultural pest that makes fruit inedible and can infect more than 50 types of fruit, including citrus, avocados, and a wide variety of tropical fruit, the county said. The fruit fly can weak expensive agricultural destruction, and it estimates that within the quarantine boundaries, the agricultural value is $49 million of San Diego County's $1.8 total, according to the county.

CDFA officials said anyone growing or packing "host" fruit inside the quarantine area is urged to not move fruit off their properties, this includes local residents and home gardeners.

Residents with questions are encouraged to call the consumer hotline at (800) 491-1899.

San Diego County will work with growers adjacent to the quarantine area to help lessen the impact of a potential quarantine expansion.

Valley Center is a producer of avocados, oranges, lemons and much more.