The demanding and restrictive European regulations, together with the negative perception the public has of phytosanitary products, complicate the registration of these products, on which the competitiveness of the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector currently relies. This has been pointed out by various experts during the conference "Ways to improve the availability of plant protection products for minor crops," held in the framework of Fruit Attraction, in Madrid.
Experts warn that there is a wide range of crops that do not offer much of an incentive for the industry to become interested in registering plant protection products to tackle pests and diseases. "Minor" crops include most fruits and vegetables, which account for 22% of the value of the EU's crop production.
The Spanish model
The General Director of Sanidad de la Producción Agraria (Health of the Agricultural Production), Valentín Almansa, stated that Spain has recently launched a national model to assess minor crops, which "took some effort to launch," but "which is starting to bear fruit." Since August, they have authorised about 10 products and "we have opened the way" to take further steps.
"I am convinced that this procedure will give us many joys in the future and I am very optimistic. We will be able to provide solutions "to the sector, even though these will not be complete because of the very strict regulations and limits imposed by the EU," affirms Almansa.
He acknowledged that the "legislative mess" and the negative public opinion make the registration of an active substance, and then of a phytosanitary product, a "risky adventure," which discourages the companies in the sector. Plant protection products "have become part of the public debate" and even the media covers some general information, such as that regarding nicotinoids or glyphosate.
The General Director of the Business Association for Plant Protection (Aepla), Carlos Palomar, assures that various crops have already been left without adequate and effective crop protection products. In the case of minor crops, the situation is worse, because "it is not worth it" for crop protection companies to develop products for blueberries, currants, lettuce, cabbage, radish, plums, cherries or kakis, etc.
The director of FEPEX, José María Pozancos, added that one of the most important features of the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector, unlike in other countries, is the wide range of products that are available almost all year round. "If we do not have the necessary health regulations to keep that supply stable, there will certainly be consequences in the market for both minor crops and for the sector as a whole," he states.
The Director of Regulatory Affairs of the European Association for Plant Protection (ECPA), Euros Jones, described the situation of the "minor crops" in EU Regulation 1107/2009. He said that the term "minor" can actually be misleading, because it is applied to crops such as fruits, vegetables, herbs or seeds, which in fact generate some 70,000 million Euro per year in the EU.
The loss of authorised active substances in Europe has clearly caused a drop in the profitability of the producers, leaving some agricultural products without any alternatives to tackle pests. "There is a political deadlock" in line with the public opinion, which explains the complexity of the European regulations, as well as the ban of active substances.
