The European Commission has announced it will delay its decision on lowering the maximum residue level (MRL) of diphenylamine (DPA).

It had been expected that the EC would announce that the MRL for DPA, a postharvest treatment to control scald on top fruit, would be lowered to 0.1ppmm this week - with the current MRL set at 0.5ppm - but a final decision is now not expected until late March to early April.

David Pratt, MD at fruit importer Empire World Trade believes that if the MRL is lowered too quickly, it could result in apple varieties such as Granny Smith losing their year-round availability. He hopes the delay to the ruling will now create a more sensisible outcome.

“If the MRL of DPA is lowered too harshly, I don’t think there will be Granny Smiths and many other varieties of apples available for 12 months of the year anymore; there simply isn’t a good enough alternative to DPA on the market as treatments such as Smart Fresh are not as effective,” said Pratt.

Meanwhile, Andy Macdonald of Coregeo, which controls the marketing of Pink Lady apples in the UK, believes the EC must now consider the potential cross-contamination from DPA residues still left over in bins and stores, and the extra costs on producers potentially replacing equipment.

He said: “We would hope the MRL is lowered gradually to somewhere between 0.1 and 0.5 ppm, so it is manageable for growers.”

OrchardWorld’s technical director Mike Jobbins has criticised the EU for having an ‘anti-chemicals agenda’.

He concluded: “In Brussels, they’re not properly thinking through the commercial realities of a major reduction to the DPA MRL.

“Any major change could damage exports into the UK from the likes of South America and the US.”

South Africa

Desmond Mudge, MD of Chiltern Farms, a South African top fruit supplier to Tesco, has criticised the EU for considering a major drop in the MRL of DPA and says that if it goes ahead Granny Smith and Pink Lady exports into the UK will both “potentially be affected.”

New Zealand

Mike Butcher of top fruit body Pipfruit NZ, has confirmed that none of the country’s producers have used DPA this season and that fruit production, and exports, will not be impacted if the MRL is lowered.

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