Latin American banana growers join against EU pesticide restrictions

In mid-December, Latin American banana producers met at the facilities of the National Banana Corporation of Costa Rica (Corbana) to analyze the possible consequences that the new EU regulation on maximum pesticide residue limits in imported agricultural products could have on Latin American exports and jobs.

 

The meeting was attended, among others, by banana producer associations from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, and Ecuador, as well as by marketers, international organizations and representatives of the government of Costa Rica, who committed to reverse this situation.

 

They also signed a joint document which they will deliver to their respective Governments so that, in turn, they can channel their concern to the European Union.

 

EU legislation is based on the REACH Regulation, which regulates the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restrictions of substances. The EU began a process to review the pesticide inputs used by the agricultural sector to control pests.

 

According to FAO, 26 to 40% of the world's agricultural production is lost annually due to weeds, pests, and diseases; these figures could double if the possibilities to protect crops are reduced.