Guatemala is in an alert for outbreaks of agricultural pests

The Agricultural Government Authorities and the Banana productive sector remain vigilant to prevent the entry of a significant pest, which is known to be already present in the Central American region. The director of Plant Health of the Vice Ministry of Agricultural Health and Regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) stated that the country is alerted of the Fusarium Oxysporum Race 4 Tropical (FOC4) disease that attacks plantain and banana.

It is already present in Colombia and Peru. For that reason, an exclusive law was published to prevent the entry of the disease, which contemplates the actions that must be implemented in ports, airports, and border areas, like container fumigation made mandatory by April 2022.

The productive sector and the National Association of Banana Producers have been alerted with preventive measures and controls. Twice a year, they will audit the associated farms to ensure they are in line with best practices and comply with the law. In addition, they will keep in contact with the authorities. This fungus has no cure. It is important to keep the soil as healthy as possible, to be rigorous in the controls and monitoring to ensure that in the event of an early arrest, contain it, isolate it and prevent it from continuing.

Apart from the MAGA and the Association, with the support of the Taiwanese technical mission and the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA), they have located sentinel plots on the south coast and Atlantic coast, to detect a spectral footprint through satellite monitoring.