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During the COVID-19 pandemic, regions were affected by a combination of economic crises: weak demand and constrained supply. Several studies have sought to analyse the heterogeneous effects of supply and demand shocks on the labour market, economic growth, and the environment. This study has a different focus, estimating both direct and indirect effects of demand and supply shocks adopted during the pandemic in Brazil and Chile. Afterwards, the paper compares the degree of regional absorption (leakage) of income resulting from each of these shocks, applying an interregional input–output model for each country. The results of this study show that income absorption by the poorest regions is relatively greater in the case of a supply shock. It can be said, therefore, that this type of shock improves the retention of income generated in the poorest regions, favouring the development of these localities and the reduction in regional inequalities. The main reason for this result is that supply policies have restricted essential sectors to a lesser extent, and these sectors are generally less concentrated in large urban centres in both Brazil and Chile. In other words, much of the interregional leakage is driven by the demand for non-essential products, mainly in the richest urban economy centres. Finally, the geographical dimension of regional inequalities leads to the economic benefit of prosperous areas in the country when shocks occur in vulnerable regions, highlighting the centre–periphery pattern in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Significant advances in the domestication and artificial rearing techniques for the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera, Tephritidae), have been achieved since the FAO/IAEA Workshop held in 1996 in Chile. Despite the availability of rearing protocols that allow the production of a high number of flies, they must be optimized to increase insect yields and decrease production costs. In addition, evidence of sexual incompatibility between a long-term mass-reared Brazilian strain and wild populations has been found. To address these issues, this study refined rearing protocols and assessed the suitability of a bisexual A. fraterculus strain established from a target population in southern Brazil for the mass production of sterile flies. The existing rearing protocols for Anastrepha fraterculus must be reviewed to make economically viable the production of sterile flies for their area-wide application. Additionally, evidence of sexual incompatibility between a long-term mass-reared Brazilian strain and wild populations has been found. To address these issues, this study aimed to refine rearing protocols and to assess the suitability of an A. fraterculus strain for the mass production of sterile flies. A series of bioassays were carried out to evaluate incubation times for eggs in a bubbling bath and to assess the temporal variation of egg production from ovipositing cages at different adult densities. A novel larval diet containing carrageenan was also evaluated. Egg incubation times higher than 48 h in water at 25 °C showed reduced larval and pupal yields. Based on egg production and hatchability, the density of 0.3 flies/cm2 can be recommended for adult cages. The diet with carrageenan was suitable for mass production at egg-seeding densities between 1.0 and 1.5 mL of eggs/kg of diet, providing higher insect yields than a corn-based diet from Embrapa. Even after two years of being reared under the new rearing protocols, no sexual isolation was found between the bisexual strain and wild flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]