National deputies Luis Picat and Martin Ardohain have presented a project to declare an agricultural emergency due to the corn leafhopper, an insect vector of the Spiroplasma kunkeli bacteria, which is causing a lethal disease for cereal crops. This emergency is affecting provinces such as Santiago del Estero, Chaco, Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa.
The project aims to provide tax benefits to affected farmers, such as payment exemptions for Income tax. It also proposes zoning to determine the affected areas using satellite images. Additionally, the project urges the National Government and provincial governments to work together to reduce the impact of the pest.
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. The corn leafhopper, despite its small size, 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.