The Greenery is set to roll out its project with Bayer CropScience to reduce the need for pesticides to 20 countries, following a review of its initiative on Italian grapes this season.
The initial trial took place in Puglia, from February to October last year after the plans were set in motion at Fruit Logistica last year.
The project will now be extended to include Spanish tomatoes, Brazilian melons, South African citrus and pineapples from Panama to name a few categories, while UK retailers have also shown a keen interest in the project.
Tim Willaert, in the marketing and communication department, told FPJ: “By combining our knowledge, we have been able to reduce the use of crop protection products to a minimum levels and reduce residue levels to a level that is far below even the most stringent requirements.
“We are looking at how we use the absolute minimum crop protection in a targeted way, throughout the season…
“There is increased competition in the market and we have to be clear about the extras that we can provide. At the moment, we are looking at how to communicate our work to consumers.”
Agronomist Ben Burgers, who oversaw the project, added: “The major aim is to keep quality standards as high as possible, while trying to create a further reduction of residue levels in the final stages of production.”
No comments yet