Citrus producers from Caldas can't export their product to Ecuador because the neighboring country closed its borders to these products due to the presence of the HLB bacterium, which attacks citrus plants, in northern Colombia.
Oscar Perea, President of the Board of Citrus Growers of Caldas, said they were waiting for both governments to have a dialogue to overcome the crisis and reopen the market.
He said they had asked the Ica for advice so producers could take measures to avoid the HLB bacteria from spreading.
Colombians suspect the virus entered the country from Venezuela through the Guajira frontier, as that border has no controls against viruses or bacteria.
There are about 160 citrus producers in Caldas and, according to Perea, the most affected area is Santágueda in Palestine.
To address the alert due to the HLB, the departments of Quindio, Antioquia, Risaralda, and Caldas will work together to conduct monitoring activities in order to prevent infestations of this bacterium.
Perea stated that the countries that had had presence of this bacterium, such as China and Brazil, had overcome it and increased their production.
The huanglongbing or yellow dragon disease affects various citrus plants, such as orange, lime, and tangerine crops. It deforms the plants and affects the fruits coloration. In some cases, it can even kill the plant.
Source: caracol.com.co