Economic impact of Huanglongbing on orange production

Abstract Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered one of the main citrus diseases; it spreads quickly through orchards, reducing the production and quality of the fruit of affected plants, and causes significant economic losses. In this context, the aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and economic impact of the losses generated by HLB in the micro-region of Paranavaí, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. We used data from the Paraná Agribusiness Defense Agency, which conducts surveys of host plants of the causal agent of HLB. The production sacrificed by HLB was estimated considering the following scenarios: (i) losses occurring from January 2011 to June 2013; and (ii) losses related to the potential production of the citrus plant over its useful life. Although the annual incidence of HLB in the Paranavaí region is currently below 2.5%, there was a 6-fold increase in the incidence of the disease, from 0.16% to 0.96%, in the period considered. Orchards that had lesser than 10,000 plants showed a higher incidence of the disease. The losses produced by HLB generated estimated economic impacts of US$11.8 million and US$39.2 million for the first and second scenarios, respectively. These results highlight the importance of the prevention and management of this disease.