News Sugar beets
French derogation neonics for sugar beet
French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie grants beet growers in the country a derogation from using coated seeds containing neonicotinoids. From 2021, growers will be able to sow insecticide-coated seed again for 3 years. The European ban has a major impact on the French sugar sector.
On Thursday, August 6, the French Ministry of Agriculture published a letter in which it announced that it would grant a derogation for 3 seasons, starting in 2021. It is a response to the call of interest groups and sugar producers (such as Cristal Union). They indicate that sugar production will be 600.000 to 800.000 tons lower this year as a result of the neonics ban that has been in force since 2018. Due to insect damage, the sugar yield per hectare is 30% to 50% lower. Damage by the green peach aphid is a particular problem.
Vital sector
It is vital that France protects its own beet cultivation, the organizations say. For example, the country will remain independent for sugar production and will retain 46.000 jobs, which it says will be created by the sugar sector. The country has 25.000 beet growers and 21 factories. According to Minister Denormandie, it is of great importance to grant derogation now, because otherwise growers will stop growing beet en masse in 2021.
Spraying with neonicotinoids will remain prohibited, but coated seed will soon be allowed. Not everyone is happy with the derogation to be granted. The association of beekeepers, among others, is strongly against it, as are some nature organizations. They call it a step back in time and catastrophic for pollinators, such as bees.
€5 million support
The minister responded by stating that this measure is now necessary. The coming years will be used to develop alternatives to neonics. The ministry is making €5 million available for this. Part of the money is used as compensation to growers who have to deal with a loss of yield this year. It is not yet clear whether this concerns an integral exemption or whether strict rules are attached to it. This is the case in Belgium, for example, which means that the exemption is not interesting for everyone. The minister does say that strict controls will take place.
Denormandie does not mention rapeseed cultivation, which has also been decimated in Europe as a result of the neonics ban. This came into effect in 2014 and ensures that especially young rapeseed plants are eaten by the rapeseed glass beetle† In Europe, France, Germany and the Netherlands supported the ban on coated sugar beet seed. Now that 1 of these pillars has disappeared, the question is whether more European countries will follow. Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten relies mainly on the opinion of her German colleague Julia Klöckner. The beet yield in the Netherlands also suffers from lice damage, which cause the yellowing virus, which costs sugar yield.
The news from France comes as no surprise to neighboring countries. During a consultation between the European sugar chain (growers and industry) with MEPs, Denormandie called for support from Brussels, or neonics back. Dirk de Lugt, chairman of Cosun Beet Company, does not expect a similar movement in the Netherlands: "So far there has been no movement in the ministry. Minister Schouten has stated that national derogation should not receive support from Brussels, in order not to create an uneven playing field. There is also damage to beet crops in the Netherlands, but to a lesser extent compared to other countries."
Niels van der Boom
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