Withdrawal of Phosmet: the industry mobilized to propose solutions for the short and medium term
Withdrawal of Phosmet: the industry mobilized to propose solutions for the short and medium term
It has been understood for several months that phosmet would not be re-approved. At the SCOPAFF (Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed / European Commission) meeting in December, a qualified majority of member states voted for the Commission's proposal not to renew the active substance as part of the renewal process for active substances (REG 1107/2009).
The published implementing regulation of January 24, 2022 formalizes this non-approval and sets the maximum deadlines that each member state can apply. The MA must be withdrawn before May 1st 2022. The grace period expires at the latest on November 1, 2022. This period allows the remaining stocks to be marketed and used.
In the recent context of irregular or late planting (drought), to which is added a strong pressure of autumn beetles (flea beetle and terminal bud weevil) that may have a high level of resistance to pyrethroids (Skdr mutation), phosmet has become a pivotal substance. If in a large part of the territory pyrethroids are still a means of protection, the situation is much more delicate in areas with high resistance.
Terres Inovia and the Federation of Oilseed Producers (FOP) have been in dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for over a year. The first step was to make our interlocutors aware of the strategic importance of this active substance, and then to find solutions for the short, medium and long term.
On November 24, the Minister of Agriculture Julien Denormandie announced an envelope of € 2.5 million to "accelerate the research of solutions" alternatives to the insecticide phosmet. This amount is intended for the various research and development players involved in this challenge and will be added to the investments already made, particularly by our industry.
The current focus of our actions in the short and medium term is on :
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the continuation of the deployment of agronomic levers around "robust rapeseed": Terres Inovia and its partners in consulting and development are committed to support and demonstration actions in order to give each farmer the means to evaluate the conditions of establishment and development of rapeseed and to adapt his management as well as possible with the available levers. Anticipation, in particular in the preparation of sowing, will be a determining factor for successful planting.
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the "robust rapeseed" concept is reinforced by action on nitrogen management in the autumn : ensuring dynamic growth of the rapeseed over a longer period in the autumn contributes to strengthening the plant against bio-aggressions.
- the concrete translation of our work in experimentation on cyanthraniliprole started a few years ago. The current work with Syngenta, both on the technical and regulatory aspects, allows us to envisage a solution for the fall of 2022 that would cover the most critical situations in certain specific contexts. This difficult regulatory aspect is underway. It is a priority for our sector.
- the continuation of the evaluation of agronomic or biocontrol solutions. The action plan put in place should also enable the launch of new ambitious projects, notably in collaboration with INRAe (genetics, biocontrol, etc.).
On the farm and in the depots, the first action will be to prioritize stocks for the next 2022-2023 campaign rather than on pollen beetle, i.e. adult flea beetle (BORAVI WG remains slightly superior to pyrethroids, outside of areas of high resistance) and terminal bud weevil.
Between now and the next sowings, Terres Inovia will accompany producers and their technicians in this transition phase, while mobilizing our regional partners in this support.
Contact : Franck DUROUEIX, Strategic expert in charge of input evaluation (f.duroueix@terresinovia.fr)