Agricultural emergency declared in several provinces due to corn leafhopper outbreak
Several provinces in Argentina are facing an agricultural emergency due to a corn leafhopper outbreak, which is causing a lethal disease for cereal crops. The project presented by national deputies Luis Picat and Martin Ardohain aims to provide tax benefits to affected farmers, such as payment exemptions for Income tax. Additionally, the project proposes zoning to determine the affected areas using satellite images.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, along with technical teams from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), are requested to establish management protocols for producers based on regional differences. The spread of the disease to new provinces like Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa has raised concerns due to its significant impact on corn crops.
According to experts, this year has seen the most abundant population of leafhoppers in the last decade. The Buenos Aires Cereal Exchange has already reduced the corn harvest forecast due to the damage caused by the leafhopper and heat waves. Producers estimate even greater losses than projected.
The affected regions include central Santa Fe, northeast Córdoba, and western Entre Ríos, where severe outbreaks of the disease have led to significant production losses. Despite its small size, the corn leafhopper is a persistent carrier of the Spiroplasma kunkelii bacteria, causing recurrent diseases in agricultural regions.
Overall, the project calls for coordinated efforts to address the agricultural emergency and mitigate the impact of the corn leafhopper on cereal crops in affected provinces.
