Since the pest represents a threat and is capable of destroying crops in a very short time, moving large distances in one day, a state of phytosanitary emergency was declared in the country due to a significant increase in the number of flying locusts.
Because of the suspected presence of the pest known as "fusarium wilt" in Colombia, authorities in Panama banned the entry of materials derived from plantains and bananas from any country.
The government reinforced quarantine control measures at airports, ports and borders, and categorically prohibited the entry into the country of any plantain or banana material suspected of carrying the fungus, according to the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
Establishing areas free of the sunblotch pest and certify them according to international standards is what Mexico has proposed in order to sell avocados to Costa Rica once again.
The proposal submitted by Mexico to the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) includes the establishment of certain areas of fruit cultivation which are certified to be free of the pest.
Approval has been given to the creation of a global system of digital certification to control pests and plant diseases which can spread during international trade.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), consisting of 181 countries, has approved the creation of a new global electronic certification system called E-Phyto, which will help stop the spread of pests and diseases via agricultural products transported in international trade, in a way that is safer and cheaper.
At the end of 2014 363 companies were registered as being dedicated to providing pest control services, targetting mainly the industrial, food and hotel sectors.
According to the General Directorate of Taxation cited by Elfinancierocr.com, "... in the last five years there has been an increase of 44.9% ..." in the number of companies engaged in non-agricultural fumigation in the country.
The presence of an outbreak of beetles has been detected in coffee plantations in the states of Espirito Santo and Sao Paulo, where they have declared a state of phytosanitary emergency.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil:
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Storage (MAPA by its initials in Spanish) has declared a state of phytosanitary emergency in Sao Paulo and Espirito Santo because of an imminent risk of an outbreak of Hypothenemus hampei, popularly known as Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) or 'broca' in Spanish.
The government of Honduras has announced that it will continue spraying trucks from El Salvador, due to the presence of a pest, but without charging the fee of $10 as it has so far done.
Fumigation of all trucks leaving the Salvadoran borders is essential since the presence of the pink hibiscus mealybug pest was detected in some shipments in recent weeks.
Chinese health authorities are inspecting plants and pineapple farms in the country as part of the process of market opening for the Costa Rican fruit.
In addition to inspections on farms and plants, a technical mission to China has verified health checks undertaken by the laboratories of the State Phytosanitary Service. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, "...Costa Rica's successful entry could result in a need to expand the amount of land planted with this fruit, which is currently 45,000 hectares. "
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued new phytosanitary requirements for tomato shipments to the country.
From a statement issued by the State Phytosanitary Service, Costa Rica:
The Department of Agriculture (USDA), through Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Service (APHIS) has issued an update on the Federal Order on Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), affecting Costa Rica.
About 100 thousand plants in the citrus departments north and east of the country have been destroyed by the yellow leaf virus.
Prensalibre.com reports: "Honduras' citrus production covers about 23,000 hectares, of which about 19,500 are oranges, 1.100 lemons and 500 grapefruit in commercial plantations, while the rest are crops in family estates".
Panama toughens Phytosanitary measures after outbreaks in Brazil and Colombia.
An outbreak of Fusarium guttiforme has blighted pineapple plantations in Brazil and Colombia and has triggered alarm bells in Panama, which has intensified its phytosanitary measures to prevent the entry of disease.
"This disease, considered by experts as the greatest threat to the cultivation of pineapple worldwide, causes the loss of up to 100% of the plantations.
Health Services reported the presence of a small outbreak of a plague known as "Yellow Dragon."
The outbreak of the plague known as huanglongbing (HLB) was detected on a farm near the border with Nicaragua.
The State Health Service (SFE), from the Ministry of Agriculture, "announced that it will take urgent preventive measures, such as the establishment of a four-mile cordon around the affected farm to prevent the disease from spreading," says Prensalibre.com.
Called “yellow dragon”, this plague originally detected in Nicaragua is threatening Costa Rica’s orange plantations.
The State’s Phytosanitary Service (SFE), part of the Agriculture Ministry (MAG), stated that the bacteria known as “yellow dragon” (Huanglongbing (HLB)), has traveled through the Caribbean coast from Miami to Belize, Honduras, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.
The "yellow dragon" plague, which has already created havoc throughout the world, could affect 6,000 hectares of orange farms in Panama.
The insect of the plague was detected in Florida, U.S.A. and has already arrived in Belize. The threat of the plague, which could affect more than 1,000 Panamanian producers, caused the Department of Farm Development (MIDA) to declare a phytosanitary emergency.