Brussels, 07/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - The lack of plant protection products for minor uses and specialty crops is becoming an ever greater concern for the EU's professional food chain organisations. They deplore the fact that the European Commission has again postponed - this time until the end of February 2013 - the awaited report on this subject.
“The lack of proper tools (for minor uses and specialty crops) compromises not only the competitiveness of the entire agri-food chain, including its sustainability and the employment generated, but also the diversity of high quality food in Europe”, says Luc Peeters, the chairman of Copa-Cogeca's phytosanitary working group, on behalf of ten associations from the agri-food chain association (*).
The Commission was due to bring forward a report on this issue at the end of 2011, as provided for in European legislation. Since 2009, the ten associations have been calling for solutions and proper investment schemes to support minor uses and specialty crops.
Minor uses concern fruit and vegetables, cereals, including rice, seeds, hops, flowers and all those plants that need a tailor-made plant protection product, whether it is for growing them, storage or transportation.
The value of specialty crops is estimated at €70 billion per year, in other words 22% of the total value of EU agricultural production. The fruit and vegetable sector alone accounts for about €45 billion in the EU, with total production of 70 million tonnes of vegetables and 40 million tonnes of fruit. The market value for ornamental plants is estimated at €27 billion.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
(*): the Assemblée des régions européennes fruitières, légumières et horticoles - (AReFLH), the European Liaison Committee for the Agricultural and Agri-food Trade (CELCAA), the Comité du Commerce des céréales, aliments du bétail, oléagineux, huile d'olive, huiles et graisses et agrofournitures (COCERAL), the association of European farmers and European agri-cooperatives (COPA-COGECA), the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA), the European Seed Association (ESA), the European Fresh Produce Association (Freshfel), the International Biocontrol Manufacturers' Association (IBMA), the European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors (PROFEL), and the International Flower Trade Association (Union Fleurs). (LC/transl.fl)