A call has been made for those in power for more investment to ensure the availability of crop protection solutions for speciality crops and minor uses in the EU.

These speciality crops include most vegetables, fruits and flowers with an EU agricultural production value of greater than €50 billion (£45bn) per year.

A large number of crops grown in Europe that are of major importance for the food industry and consumers are relatively minor, both in scale of production and also in their use of plant protection products, when compared to the total agricultural production. While the magnitude of pest problems faced in these crops is similar to major crops, many newer and more efficient plant protection solutions are often unavailable to farmers and food chain operators, mostly for economic reasons.

Representatives from the European Commission, EU member states and eight food chain organisations discussed for the first time the challenges and future of crop protection solutions for speciality crops and minor uses under the new regulation on the authorisation of plant protection products, at a conference last week.

The conference reached a general consensus on several key points. First, the protection of speciality crops and uses should include minor use authorisations to ensure the protection of high-value speciality crops.

Second, there should be greater co-ordination through specific EU work groups to look at minor use issues and find common crop protection solutions for speciality crops. The commission’s commitment given at the conference to re‐instate these groups was supported by all participants.

It was also agreed such co-operation needs to have a holistic approach that will also consider the implications of the implementation of the Sustainable Use Directive, as well as creating a minor use fund modelled on the IR‐4 programme in the US, which has shown a high return on the investment made.

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