Italy called on to halt deadly olive disease

Italy must enforce measures to combat Xylella fastidiosa – a deadly bacterium that is killing olive trees in the Southern region of Apulia – or the outbreak will spread to other countries, Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis warned at the Agriculture Council, on 16 March.  “More effective measures are required to control and stop this spread,” Adriukaitis said, warning of “serious losses” to the agriculture sector. Citrus groves and grapevines are now at risk from the disease - known as olive…