Samuel Zapata
Associate Professor, Texas A&M University, Department of Agricultural Economics
Thursday, March 6, at 3:30 PM
In HORT 117 or via Zoom.
Dealing with an Uncurable Disease: The Case of Citrus Greening
Invasive pests and diseases can have significant consequences for farmers and consumers. This is the case of Citrus Greening or Huanglongbing (HLB) in the U.S. Since its discovery in 2005, HLB has become endemic in all key citrus-growing regions. Despite numerous efforts to control the disease, existing management strategies have not been effective in eradicating or curing HLB, and it continues to spread at a rapid pace. We identified cost-effective mitigation strategies by using a stochastic bioeconomic model. The model simulates disease progression under different management approaches and assesses their long-term economic viability. Furthermore, we evaluated consumer preferences for oranges from trees treated with antibiotics, a new control option. We found that information provision significantly increased consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for antibiotic-treated citrus.