The regional government of Andalusia is set to make the use of biological pest controls compulsory for growers in the province of Almeria, the heart of Spain’s greenhouse vegetable production industry.

The Territorial Delegation of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment in Almeria, which is responsible for drafting the new regulations, said it hoped the measure would provide fresh impetus to the region’s so-called “green revolution” which it claims has already led to a radical shift in the mindset of local producers away from chemical pesticides towards more natural pest control methods.

José Antonio Aliaga, director of Almeria’s Agriculture Council, said the new order would modify and improve the existing law, which has been in place since 2002. “We’re currently in the technical phase of the debate and gathering information and proposals from producers,” he said.

While the proposed amendment has been on the table for some time it is believed that its introduction is being speeded up in response to the alarming rate at which the Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi virus has spread through Almeria’s courgette production in recent months.

The new regulation aims to establish integrated production as the central weapon in the region’s war against plant viruses. It is believed that it will also contain a requirement for the mandatory installation of insect traps and nets in all greenhouse structures in a bid to make them impenetrable by pests. However Aliaga said the content of the draft was not due to be finalised until the spring.

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