Brazil: Cities on the border with Argentina suffer from dangerous onion infestation

Federal agricultural tax auditors are facing an outbreak of insect infestation in onions on Brazil's southern border with Argentina. Since mid-March, the presence of the pest has been identified in goods in the cities of Porto Xavier and São Borja, in Rio Grande do Sul, which arrived in the country through regular imports and threaten Brazilian agricultural production. The products are being analyzed to confirm whether or not there is the presence of quarantine species, which put plantations at risk. Due to the scenario, the pest risk alert protocol came into action, the first step of which is precisely the identification of possible problems with the merchandise. As a result, samples were sent to a laboratory accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) for analysis. If the cargo contains a pest that poses any risk, it is returned to the country of origin, a protocol that applies to any product of plant or animal origin. “This practice is carried out to protect ...