No exemption for Cruiser in beet cultivation

There will be no (temporary) exemption for the use of the drug 'Cruiser SB' in pill seed for sugar beet. This is stated on Monday 28 January in a letter to parliament from Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality).

According to Minister Schouten, a temporary exemption can only be given if an emergency situation arises. Each country decides for itself and at national level whether this is the case. The Netherlands therefore does not opt ​​for this, while Belgium, for example, does.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) reports that there is only sufficient need to allow Cruiser SB to combat beet flies. According to the Board for the Authorization of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb), the product can be used if there is no flowering crop on the area concerned within 4 years. 

Disadvantageous to competition
However, the NVWA states that this cannot be checked and that it does not fit in with current practices. This is because potato cultivation takes up a large place in the construction plan. That is why Schouten has decided not to grant a temporary exemption.

Cosun reports in a press release that this puts Dutch beet growers at a competitive disadvantage, for example compared to Belgian growers. The minister says that he is in consultation with the sector about an accelerated authorization of alternative means. 

Click here for the letter to parliament.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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