News Sugar beets
VVD asks parliamentary questions about derogation neonics
Member of Parliament Helma Lodders (VVD) asked agriculture minister Schouten on Monday 12 October parliamentary questions regarding the use of coated sugar beet seed with neonicotinoids. Despite the French derogation, Schouten sees nothing in an exemption for Dutch growers.
Lodders asked parliamentary questions on the basis of articles the Boerenbusiness wrote about the neonics discussion. Royal Cosun chairman Dirk de Lugt previously stated in an interview: know that the file should be put back on the table as far as he is concerned. The discussion is also ongoing in Germany, but no decision has yet been taken on a possible exemption. That happened in France. On October 6, parliament voted in favor of a temporary exemption† Growers will be allowed to use neonics again for the next 3 years.
No emergency
Following this news, Minister Schouten stated that an uneven European playing field as a result of the derogation at national level in the EU is no reason for her to go along with the exemptions. It is only worth considering in the event of an emergency. In France, local beet yields are up to 80% lower, which is certainly an exceptionally bad position for beet growers. Although the yellowing virus is also clearly present in the Netherlands – and considerably more crop protection products have been used for this – the problems here are (even) less serious.
The same loss of revenue
Member of Parliament Helma Lodders therefore also asks the minister what she means by an emergency situation. Lodders would also like to know why the minister has not yet consulted Cosun about this situation. According to Lodders, the situation in the Netherlands is no different than in France. In both countries the average yield loss is 7%. The difference is that in France the extremes are greater. The VVD member would like to see a solution for the Netherlands in the short and medium term. The minister previously announced that he would tackle this within a working group, but the exact details have not yet been given.
Niels van der Boom
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