The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and national asparagus producers agreed to join efforts to strengthen sanitary measures for this crop against pests with a low risk of incidence, but which are highly destructive to other vegetables, such as fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) specifies that the fall armyworm is one of the main threats to world agriculture, since, although the vast majority prefer to feed on corn, it can also feed on 80 other crops, including asparagus.

The head director of the National Agro-alimentary Health, Safety and Quality Service (Senasica), Javier Calderón Elizalde, met virtually with producers, importers, exporters and representatives of the Mexican embassies in Spain, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, who presented the measures applied by the European Union (EU) to prevent the spread of the pest in their territory.

The fall armyworm is an endemic insect of the Americas and exceptionally poses risks to crops other than basic crops, which is why the Mexican health authority has been responding for years to FAO’s call to coordinate efforts in the global fight against this pest.

Mexico adheres to the international phytosanitary norms, so the General Head Office of Plant Health of Senasica remains alert to the regulations established by trading partners and in the event of an emergency, such as in asparagus production, it has schemes to apply measures based on risk analysis.

The Head of Phytosanitary Regulation explained that Senasica issues measures based on science, so that national producers have appropriate and accurate information.

Among the actions that inspire the competitiveness of producers, mainly small and medium-scale producers, is the application of phytosanitary measures to protect their crops.

At the meeting, it was reported that Senasica continues with the management before the health authority of the European Union for the use of the Electronic Phytosanitary Certificate (ePhyto), a process for which our country is prepared.