Written by cpm
Download PDF The granting of an emergency authorisation for use of a neonicotinoid seed treatment in sugar beet has attracted a lot of criticism, even within the farming community. CPM tunes into the debate about whether this marks a forward or backward step for the industry. It takes time to develop alternative solutions. By Lucy de la Pasture There’s no doubt the threat from virus yellows has been very real during the current sugar beet campaign. Unprecedented numbers of aphids descended on crops, even as some were struggling to emerge during dry weather in spring. The result was virus transmission that proved impossible to stem, even with the insecticides growers could apply under the handful of EAMUs granted for the season. By autumn yield losses of up to 80% were being reported in the worst hit areas, a situation that even with the compensatory scheme hastily put together by British Sugar meant many sugar beet growers were reducing their planned acreage for 2021 or considering giving the crop up all together. The industry was on the ropes. While many regard the neonic derogation as a lifeline for the UK’s sugar industry, others are concerned that falling back to reliance on…
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