The removal of some active ingredients from phytopharmaceutical supplements approved to be used by the European Union has caused confusion within Moroccan farmers. CropLife is the organization that combines producers of products for plant protection in Morocco has sponsored a study of the impact in November, for the purpose of navigating the changes of the regulations.

Boubker El Ouilani, President of CropLife who shared the results from the study as follows “The impact study conducted by Dr. Ezzahiri, Dr. Bouhache and Dr. Chtaina has revealed that the flurry of huge and abrupt withdrawals has ruined the phytosanitary industry and blurred the view of specialists regarding their activities and the growers’ perspective on sustainability of the production system that are primarily based on the withdrawal of key PPPs (phytopharmaceutical products). The negative effects of the withdraws haven’t been noticed by farmers as a result of the drought, with the exception of certain crops, such as citrus and tomatoes. A few farmers are aware the problems they’ll have to confront in the future using more expensive treatment options and the possibility of dealing with resistance through increasing doses and frequency. Others have a tendency to delay the problem until the treatments withdrawn or in circulation have been exhausted.”

“Crops in danger due to the growth of resistance by certain bio-aggressors against the other active compounds include sugar beets for cassidinae and cercospora beticola. Potato to fight downy mildew, a variety of plants for early growth, strawberry to fight gray mold, apples to treat scab, olive for olive flies and fruits rosaceae, citrus orchards, and for weeds with a particular problem,” El Ouilani continues.

The study suggests that without innovative products or innovations in protection The withdrawal of active ingredients could have an effect on the control of pests, which can result in the absence or partiality of phytosanitary protection, loss of yield between 5 and 70%, losses in quality as well as an increase in cost by 5-30 percent, and a decrease in the efficiency of the agricultural sector. Additionally, the research predicts the return of some bio-aggressors and the increase in the problem of resistance to phytosanitary substances as well as food security.

The restriction for active substances is likely to be expanded further. El Ouilani shares: “According to the new substitution rule adopted by the EU as well as if we adhere to the EU’s reasoning that more than 70 active substances are likely to be reviewed in Morocco. A lot of these chemicals are significant and extensively utilized throughout Morocco that would place farmers in an impasse.”

In order to address the alarming state of affairs to address this alarming situation, the impact research sponsored by CropLife published a set of suggestions, which include:

• Promoting public-private collaboration in research and experiments to encourage novel techniques for biological and chemical in addition to accelerating registration procedures for novel PPPs.
• Based on the zoning principle the decision to remove active substances on the basis of their impact on the environment should be made based on Moroccan and not European and scientific data. The risk assessment methods that have been that are adapted to Moroccan contexts should form the foundation for making decisions.
• In line with the model that has been set by EU countries, it’s essential to create regulations that are more flexible. This includes granting temporary exemptions to permit the temporarily use of a pesticide to be used in situations where there is no other solution or exemptions of necessity to allow PPPs to be used in specific situations.

El Ouilani concludes, “Work to educate producers and farmers about good phytosanitary practices is essential in order to help support the efforts undertaken by the concerned institutions (ONSSA as well as ONCA) as well as CropLife Morocco.”

Pour plus d’informations:

Boubker El Ouilani

CropLife

Tel: +212 5 22 66 53 02 / +212 5 22 66 53 03

Email: [email protected]

www.croplife.ma