National deputies Luis Picat and Martin Ardohain have introduced a project to declare an agricultural emergency in several provinces due to the corn leafhopper, an insect vector of the Spiroplasma kunkeli bacteria that is deadly to 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 corn leafhopper has spread rapidly this year to provinces like Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and La Pampa, causing alarm due to its impact on corn crops. 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.
According to the Buenos Aires Cereal Exchange, an estimated 360,000 hectares across 27 departments could be significantly affected by the pest. Areas in Santa Fe, Córdoba, and Entre Ríos are experiencing severe outbreaks, leading to production losses. The pest transmits the Spiroplasma kunkelii bacteria
