The Regional Ministry of Agriculture has adopted urgent measures to stop the spread of the pest Scirtothrips aurantiiwhich affects crops such as citrus, persimmon and table grapes. First detected in Spain in 2020, its presence has been confirmed in 325 municipalities in the Valencian Community, which has led the Generalitat to require compulsory phytosanitary treatments.
Control and prevention in areas affected by new thrips
To control the pest, the application of phytosanitary products, the installation of chromotropic traps and the disinfection of tools and vehicles in infested areas have been established. In warehouses and nurseries, contaminated batches should be treated or destroyed if they cannot be remediated. In addition, surveillance in buffer zones will be intensified with additional traps and strict controls.
Farmers' request for support
Given the seriousness of the situation, the Valencian Farmers' Association (AVA-Asaja) has asked the Regional Ministry for financial aid or the supply of phytosanitary products to meet the cost of these measures. They argue that farmers should not have to take on alone the fight against a pest introduced from third countries and aggravated by climate change.
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