STORY: Global warming has brought Argentina's corn farmers a dangerous new enemy, leafhoppers.
A rare plague of the tiny yellow insects has slashed millions of tons from Argentina's harvest projections for the current crop.
Agriculture and climate experts have linked the unusual outbreak in the world's No. 3 corn exporting country to rising temperatures.
Leafhoppers thrive in warmer conditions.
And with fewer frosts in recent years to check their spread and forecasts calling for a warm winter ahead, corn producers fear such infestations could become more regular.
Here's Cristian Russo, the head of agricultural estimates at the Rosario grains exchange.
"We should be talking about an Argentine production of more than 60 million tons of corn and because of this insect we are talking about 50.5 (million tons) and about enormous concern because truth is that the autopsy, the final level of damage of this leafhopper will probably be known after the middle of the year and we all suspect that it will be much worse than what we are seeing."
Russo says leafhopper numbers in Argentina are 10 times the average level, and that they've been found nearly 1,000 miles south of traditional areas, where previously it has been too cold.
The provincial grain exchange in the main corn region of the country has estimated leafhopper-related corn losses of $1.13 billion.
Without a hard freeze this winter, one producer in the north told Reuters that leafhopper numbers will explode again next season.
Some farmers have already said they will sow less corn and prioritize other crops such as soy, which is not affected by the bugs.
Argentina's government did not respond to a request for comment on this story but has looked to speed authorization for pesticides to fight leafhoppers.
They've also recently met with farm associations to discuss strategies to mitigate damage.
