The corn leafhopper is a pest that seriously affected the economy in the core region of southeastern Santiago.
In Santiago del Estero, corn is the second most important crop in planted area, after soybeans. In 2023, the province exported a total of 883 million dollars, and 72% of these exports corresponded to corn, representing 635.7 million dollars1.
However, this year, the corn leafhopper pest causes an estimated damage of 500 million dollars to the productive sector. This is equivalent to almost 80% of corn production exported last year and represents almost 60% of all total exports.
Symptoms of the pest include corn cracking, falling, and grain resorption. In addition, the unexpected drought is affecting other crops, which could generate a break in the payment chain and make access to credit for the next campaign difficult.
The Government Crisis Committee is taking measures to alleviate the damage caused by the corn leafhopper in the cereal harvest.
In summary, corn leafhopper is having a significant impact on the local economy, and producers face significant challenges to maintain production and income streams. We hope that the actions taken will help mitigate the effects of this plague in the region.
