The pestalotiopsis plague in Mexico's strawberry cultivation and the losses it is generating to the sector have led producers to think about the possibility of starting to produce strawberry plants in the country.
"We are in talks with the state government and the federal government to see if we can make a nursery together, to establish the plant here, to be able to take care of it ourselves, and to offer healthy plants that are free of all these pathogens, to producers," stated Karime Pineda Sandoval, manager of the National Strawberry Product System in Zamora.
According to several investigations, this fungus arrived in the country with the imported plants since there are no nurseries to produce strawberry plants in Mexico. This fungus has caused the sector to lose up to 50% of its production; that's why it's so important that we produce our own strawberry plants in the country, stated Karime Pineda.
There are no official statistics, but producers in the sector are sure there are fewer farmers planting strawberries because of this issue.
Source: cambiodemichoacan.com.mx