Salvadoran authorities have determined that the disease attacking citrus plantations, called Huanglongbing, could be present in crops in Santa Ana, Ahuachapán, La Libertad and La Paz.
After the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) declared a state of phytosanitary emergency on February 19, it was reported that the disease specifically attacks lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and limes, in addition to the ornamental plant Murraya paniculata, commonly known as myrtle or jasmine.
The local authorities declared a state of phytosanitary emergency because of the detection of Huanglongbing, a disease that attacks citrus plantations.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) reported that the disease specifically attacks lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and limes, in addition to the ornamental plant Murraya paniculata, commonly known as myrtle or jasmine.
The projected 16% drop in orange production in the state of Florida in the 2015-16 season will drive up the international price of fruit concentrate.
The Department of Agriculture reported that orange production in Florida will be reduced by up to 90 million cases in the 2015-2016 season, 16% less than in the previous season, when 96.8 million cases were produced.
The decline in the U.S. supply caused by the effects of a pest in plantations in Florida, creates opportunities for Central American producers.
An attack of the yellow dragon disease in plantations in the state of Florida, the second largest supplier of orange juice, caused a decrease in supply resulting in a price increase. While last December the product was trading on the U.S stock market for $1.35 per pound of solids up until last Monday was the price stood at $1.47.
The new rules include packaged foods with high levels of nutrients considered critical such as salt, sugar, saturated fat and calories.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
The undersecretary of Public Health in Chile, Jorge Diaz, has unveiled the new rules in the law on food labeling. The document sets out how warnings should be placed on packaged foods with high levels of nutrients considered critical, such as salt, sugar, saturated fat and calories, the rules of which will be subject to public consultation on the website of the Ministry of Health.
Given the great threat to citrus fruits posed by the Huanglongbing plague, a project is being planned to strengthen control of the pest and for the implementation of integrated pest management for citrus fruits.
From a statement from the International Regional Organization for Animal Health (OIRSA):
The Government of China (Taiwan) and the OIRSA have signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen technical and financial control of the Citrus Huanglongbing pest and integrated pest management in the region.
With an investment of $6 million a program will be developed in Central America to control pests affecting citrus fruits.
The technical cooperation agreement signed between the International International Organization for Regional Specialized Health in Agrifood (OIRSA in Spanish) and the Republic of China (Taiwan), focuses on fighting the most destructive pests affecting citrus fruits: Huanglongbing (HLB).
The Huanglonbing virus (HLB) attacks persian and key Lime trees, orange, grapefruit and tangerine.
Countries from the region are designing a strategy to prevent the outbreak of the virus, also known as Greenning's Disease.
Gisela Tapia is an expert from Oirsa, the Regional Agriculture Health Organism. She warned that "if there isn't a prevention program, in 5 years Guatemala and the rest of Mesoamerica could lose their entire citrus production", reported Prensalibre.com.