In his recent address in members of the House of Representatives, Minister of Health & Wellness Kevin Bernard addressed the detrimental impacts of the greening diseases in citrus on the industry of citrus in Belize. The discussion was part of the discussion on possible amendments in the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act which aims to improve the control and prevention of crises in agriculture.
Minister Bernard spoke of the glory times of Belize’s industry that reached its height in 2005 when an output of 8 million boxes. This made it Belize’s largest exporter, earning the sum of $108 million from foreign exchange. But the finding of citrus greening known as Huanglongbing in 2009 seriously reduced the efficiency and longevity of citrus trees. This led to a significant decrease in production of citrus to around half a million box and export revenues decreasing to just $25 million annually.
The condition, known as citrus greening, is caused by a bacteria spread through insects like the Asian citrus psyllid, can affect all types of citrus, and there is no cure. The affected trees show the appearance of yellowed leaves as well as stunted growth. They also create a bitter and distorted fruit that eventually leads to the death of the tree. The swift spread and devastation effects of the greening process in citrus are making it an imminent threat to the worldwide sector of citrus.
The amendment proposed of the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act approved after just three rounds of reading, is designed to categorize major pest and epidemics into national disasters. This classification will enable Belize’s Government of Belize to improve combat and eradicate actions, assist in emergency measures to prevent spread, and coordinate the actions to respond at a national level more efficiently. In addition, it will assist the affected parties and government by securing soft and donor loans to address the problems posed by these dangers.
Through recognizing the occurrence of agricultural pests and diseases as national emergencies, Belize seeks to bolster the capacity of its response and preparedness which will help ensure the country’s financial stability as well as food security. Minister Bernard stressed the necessity of active and vigilant measures in order to safeguard Belize’s crucial agriculture sectors from adversity consequences.
Source: BBN