French potato producers criticize EU ban on key herbicide metribuzin

The National Union of Potato Producers (UNPT) in France has strongly condemned the European Union’s recent decision to ban the herbicide metribuzin, a move they say threatens the future of potato farming in France and across Europe.

Credit: UNPT

Earlier this month, the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) endorsed the withdrawal of metribuzin, an herbicide widely used in low doses and mixtures to control weeds in potato crops. The ban requires the withdrawal of marketing authorizations within six months, with a possible grace period of up to 12 months for individual member states.

A Critical Tool Lost

Metribuzin has been considered an essential component in the arsenal against weeds for potato farmers. The UNPT warns that without it, producers will face significant challenges in protecting their crops, potentially leading to decreased yields and financial losses.

″This decision simply endangers the future of potato production in France and Europe,″ the UNPT stated. ″Our producers, already under pressure, find their ability to protect their potato crops further diminished.″

Cascading Effect of Bans

The withdrawal of metribuzin is not an isolated incident. It follows the recent bans of other key fungicides, such as metiram and dimethomorph, at both European and national levels—actions that were implemented without grace periods in France.

The UNPT highlighted a troubling pattern: ″These decisions illustrate the dangerous and cascading reduction of means to combat weeds and fungal diseases, even as new resistances are emerging across Europe.″

Call for Government Action

The UNPT refuses to see the potato industry condemned by ″politico-administrative decisions disconnected from on-the-ground realities. Our producers, already under pressure, find their ability to protect their potato crops further diminished.″

The organization is urging the French government to take a stand within European institutions to defend the nation’s food sovereignty. They are advocating for a ″defensive and pragmatic stance″ regarding essential agricultural substances to maintain a viable socio-economic status for farmers.

″The drift toward an all-encompassing ‘precautionary principle,’ without alternative solutions, must stop immediately,″ the UNPT asserted. ″Otherwise, we will seal the fate of potato production in France and Europe.″

Demand for a National Anti-Blight Plan

In response to the escalating challenges, the UNPT is reiterating its call for an ambitious national and European plan to combat potato blight—a devastating disease that can result in 100% crop loss if uncontrolled.

They are requesting that public authorities provide viable means and alternative solutions, along with maintaining current active substances during the transition period. ″It is time to change the national strategy and provide visibility and stability to production through its range of control tools,″ the UNPT emphasized.

Looking Ahead

As the debate over agricultural chemical regulations continues within the EU, potato producers are seeking immediate support to ensure the sustainability of their industry. The UNPT’s appeal underscores the broader tension between environmental precautions and agricultural needs—a balance that policymakers will need to navigate carefully in the coming months.

Source: National Union of Potato Producers (UNPT). Original press release in French here