The municipality of Mixtlán was declared by Senasica as free of avocado pests, which guarantees exportable avocado production
By Amado Vazquez Martinez
September 24, 2024- With the declaration of the municipality of Mixtlán as free of avocado payments by Senasica de Sader federal, the state of Jalisco adds 18 municipalities that meet these conditions, which will allow them to produce exportable avocado due to its proven health.
This was stated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Government of Mexico (Agriculture), which stated that the establishment and recognition of pest-free avocado production zones demonstrates significant progress in the area of agro-food prevention.
The Agency for Health, Safety and Food Quality (ASICA Jalisco) noted that it also increases the competitiveness of avocado producers in Jalisco so that they can move their goods into new and better markets.
According to reports, the agency's staff is patrolling fields to detect pests, in addition to advising and training agricultural producers on phytosanitary requirements and procedures for transporting fresh fruit for the domestic market and for export.
Likewise, diagnoses have been made to rule out the presence of pests such as the large pit borer (Heilipus lauri), the small pit borer (Conotrachelus aguacatae and C. Perseae), the trunk and branch borer (Macrocopturus aguacatae) and the avocado pit borer moth (Stenoma catenifer).
The agreement, which appears in the recently published Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), indicates that the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (Senasica) confirmed the absence of the large avocado pit borer (Heilipus lauri), the small avocado pit borer (Conotrachelus aguacatae and C. perseae) and the avocado pit borer moth (Stenoma catenifer) in 18 municipalities of Jalisco.
Accordingly, ASICA stressed that producers must not let their guard down and continue with phytosanitary measures, as well as maintain a culture of epidemiological surveillance and notification so that, 24 months after the recent publication, Agriculture can revalidate its Free Zone certification.
Previously, in 2023, the municipalities of Arandas, Concepción de Buenos Aires, Gómez Farías, La Manzanilla de la Paz, Mazamitla, San Gabriel, Sayula, Tapalpa, Valle de Juárez, Valle de Guadalupe, Zapoltitic and Zapotlán el Grande were declared free of avocado stone pests.
This year, the municipalities of Quitupan, Ahualulco de Mercado and San Juanito de Escobedo were recognized as free territories, and since 2022, the municipalities of Chiquilistlán and Tepatitlán de Morelos achieved the same recognition.
It should be noted that the recent declaration also includes Compostela and Amatlán de Cañas, Nayarit; Juchitepec and the agroecological zone of Tenería de Tejupilco, State of Mexico.
