National deputies Luis Picat and Martin Ardohain have introduced a project to declare an agricultural emergency in several provinces due to the spread of the corn leafhopper, an insect vector of the deadly Spiroplasma kunkeli bacteria. This pest has affected provinces such as Santiago del Estero, Chaco, Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa.
The agricultural emergency has three stages as explained by Picat. The first stage involves tax benefits such as income tax payment for affected producers. The second stage involves zoning using satellite images to determine the affected areas. The third stage involves exempting or postponing rural real estate tax based on each province’s agreement.
The project also calls for cooperation between the National Government and affected provincial governments to minimize the impact of the pest. They recommend that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries along with the National Institute of Agricultural Technology establish management protocols for producers to follow.
The corn leafhopper has caused significant damage this year to provinces like Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa. The Buenos Aires Cereal Exchange has reduced the corn harvest by 2.5 million tons due to the pest and heat wave with further damage expected. An estimated 360,000 hectares across 27 departments could be significantly affected by the pest leading to production losses in areas of Santa Fe, Córdoba and Entre Rios.
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