Custom inspectors at the San Francisco Airport found five Asian Citrus Psyllids. The pests were on a live curry plant carried by a passenger arriving from India.
The insect threatens citrus trees and can carry a fatal plant disease . The psyllid has been found in Southern California but the state has stayed free of the disease.
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Avocado prices are going up. A combination of low production in Southern California and a light season in Mexico is causing the increase.
Farmers have been earning record-high prices for California-grown avocados. The California crop is expected to be less than half the size of last year's.
At the same time, information about the health benefits of eating avocados has increased demand.
