Dutch agriculture used just under 2020 million kilos of plant protection products (PPP) in 5, according to the figures from Statistics Netherlands. The total use of PPPs has thus decreased by 11% compared to the previous measurement in 2016.
A total of 2020 kilos of active substance were used in 4.986.821. Products for combating fungi and bacteria are the largest group at almost 2,2 million kilos, followed by products against insects and mites with more than 1,3 million kilos and products for weed control and foliage killing with approximately 1,2 million kilos. The fact that the use of GBMs has decreased in 2020 compared to 2016 is most likely also due to the course of the growing season. Due to the relatively dry summer of 2020, conditions were less favorable for fungi compared to the relatively wet summer of 2016. Conditions were actually better for insects in 2020 and this is reflected in the CBS figures.
Frequently used substances disappear
In a comparison between the figures from Statistics Netherlands and the list of permitted substances from the Ctgb, it is striking that the authorization for several substances commonly used in 2020 has now expired or will soon expire. In the breakdown by active substance, Mancozeb is still one of the most important agents in the fungicide group in 2020. At 1,3 million kilos, Mancozeb products account for 60% of all fungicides used in 2020. In consumption potato cultivation that share is 67% and in seed onions it is even 87%. However, the approval of this widely used active substance is expired. The Ctgb has set the use-up period for a large number of resources that were still available last season (2021) on January 3, 2022. As a result, there are no longer Mancozeb-based products available for the coming season.
Another active substance that was still widely used in 2020 is Chlorpropham. With a total of almost 40.000 kilos, this is of course a much less used substance. For some crops, such as onions, Chlorpropham was an important agent. In seed onion cultivation, the product accounted for almost 2020% of the herbicides used in 20. Chlorpropham is no longer permitted for the 2021 season. However, the consequences of this have been somewhat obscured this season by the course of the growing season, the soil herbicides have done a good job.
The concerns from the agricultural sector about a sufficiently effective, workable and affordable package of resources are indirectly confirmed by the figures from Statistics Netherlands. Particularly in the field of fungal control, the sector faces a major challenge next season due to the disappearance of the broadly effective product Mancozeb.