Agricultural authorities implement measures to combat Lobesia botrana pest

Agricultural authorities in Argentina and Chile are implementing measures to manage Lobesia botrana, a pest affecting grape production.

In Argentina, the Ministry of Production and SENASA are working to streamline documentation for transporting fresh grapes. Producers have raised concerns regarding the speed of the Plant Transit Document (DTV) process, noting that the highly perishable nature of table grapes requires rapid processing and dispatch to maintain quality, particularly for exports to markets like Brazil.

In Chile, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) is deploying 371,000 sexual confusion emitters across 11 communes in the Biobío region during August and September. This technique uses synthetic pheromones to disorient male moths, reducing reproduction and the spread of the pest. The installation is part of a national program and is being provided at no cost to the community.