SIT MOROCCO

Ceratite sterile male production center is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to protecting Morocco's citrus industry, a cornerstone of the national agricultural economy. This center plays a critical role in combating the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), a significant threat to citrus crops, using the environmentally friendly Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Backed by a $6.4 million investment from the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture and equipped with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and ONSSA, the facility is designed to mass-rear, sterilize, and release up to 130 million sterile male flies weekly. These efforts target 180,000 hectares of citrus orchards, offering a sustainable, economical, and biological approach to pest control. The center is located in Ait Melloul, Agadir, in the Sous-Massa region, which is the main citrus-producing area in the country.