Costa Rica's phytosanitary authority has confirmed the country's Huanglongbing (HLB) outbreak is now under control, following strict control measures and eradication of infected plants, website Nacion.com reported.

The announcement follows outbreaks in the areas of Cuajiniquil and Guanacaste in April, which came after the first detection of the disease in the Los Chiles sector in February, the story reported.

State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) chief of pest control and monitoring Elizabeth Ramírez, told the website a control program against the insect that carried the disease had yielded good results.

She said SFE had inspected 12,000 hectares of Costa Rica's 27,000 hectares of citrus growing land, with a focus in the north where there were more infected trees, the story reported.

The emergency plan to control HLB, otherwise known as 'citrus greening' disease, also spread to commercial nurseries with requirements they produce plants in a protected and closed environment. The new measure means nurseries must develop plants in a greenhouse with cement-based bedding.

Association of Nurseries and Forest Tree Growers, Fruits and Ornamental Plants president Elena Alfaro Alfaro, told the website industry had complained about the new rules.

She told the website the new rules would force many nurseries to stop the production and sale of orange trees, which would lower available supply and make reproductive material more expensive, the story reported.