THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED BY THE COORDINATOR OF ORGANIZATIONS OF FARMERS AND LIVESTOCK BREEDERS, COAG.

The study carried out by the Department of Agriculture of COAG based on official data from the European Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture, includes all those active materials that are prohibited in Spain for phytosanitary formulations in tomato. However, for imports from third countries, They have a maximum waste limit set (LMR) which in practice means approval for its possible use in crops.

In this situation, even protected by the new agricultural free trade agreement between the EU and Morocco that came into force this week, COAG demanded that Minister Arias Cañete demand that the Moroccan authorities make substantial and tangible progress in the reduction of phytosanitary products prohibited in the EU during the Moroccan Hispanic summit held in Rabat..

It is also necessary for the Government to strengthen border controls to prevent products with a residue limit greater than that allowed from entering the community market..

“The hypocrisy of the community authorities and the lukewarmness of the Spanish Government are taking their toll on Spanish fruit and vegetable producers., who are defenseless against the unfair competition of these products. If there is free trade, the rules of the game have to be the same for everyone‚” Andrés Góngora has argued, responsible for the fruit and vegetable sector at COAG.

This situation contrasts with the efforts of Spanish farmers to reduce the use of ‚”chemicals” in their crops. In our country, practically all hectares of fruits and vegetables tend to be grown with integrated production techniques and the 80% greenhouse cultivation already uses biological control to combat pests.

“It is an unstoppable trend in the producing regions in our country and good news so that the fruits and vegetables produced in Spain are synonymous with quality and respect for the environment in the destination markets‚” Góngora has pointed out.