Murcia farmers warn lemon virus could spread fast without urgent action
Asaja says seven cases have now been detected and is calling for a phytosanitary alert and stronger controls
Asaja Murcia has raised the alarm over the spread of citrus yellow vein chlorosis, saying the number of cases in the Region has now reached seven in young lemon groves. The agricultural organisation says the virus threatens Murcia’s key citrus crop and could cause serious economic damage if action is not taken quickly.The group is urging the authorities to move fast, warning of what it calls an “urgent, decisive, and coordinated” response. In a letter sent to the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Sara Rubira, Asaja asked for a phytosanitary alert to be declared in the Region, together with prevention and containment measures to stop the virus spreading further.
The concern comes after what were initially described as three localised outbreaks. Asaja now says the number has risen, showing the virus’s “high transmissibility” and increasing the sense of urgency among farmers. The organisation says the appearance of the pathogen points to failures in phytosanitary controls, possibly linked to infected plant material entering the Region.
Alfonso Gálvez, Asaja Murcia’s secretary general, said the response must be quick and coordinated. “A rapid, decisive, and coordinated response is required from all the administrations involved,” he said.
Juan de Dios Hernández, the organisation’s president, was even more direct about the risks for the sector. He warned of “the imminent risk to the Region” and said the spread was already close, especially in Alicante, which he described as an immediate concern for Murcia. He also said that if plantations have to be uprooted, the central government must compensate both producers and affected companies.
The organisation fears the virus could expand without control, with “serious economic and social consequences.” It is also calling for tougher checks in nurseries, tighter restrictions on the movement of plant material and clear protocols for any new outbreaks. At national and European level, Asaja wants a contingency plan, stronger border controls, aid for affected farmers and the virus classified as a quarantine pest.
The virus was first confirmed in Spain after being detected in Catalonia, and has since spread through citrus-growing areas of the Valencian Community, where dozens of positive cases and more than 40 official detections have already been recorded. Murcia, as Europe’s leading lemon producer, is now seen as especially exposed because of the constant movement of plant material between regions.
For growers, the fear is simple. Delay could allow the virus to spread further and leave the sector facing lasting damage.
Image: Hans/Pixabay
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
