The House of Representatives still wants a pesticide for cherries plagued by fruit flies

NOS News•today, 01:21

A majority of the House of Representatives wants cherry growers to be able to use pesticides to combat exotic fruit flies.

BBB submitted a motion to this effect, which is supported by PVV, VVD, CDA, ChristenUnie, SGP, FvD and JA21. The parties fear that the “Dutch cherries are in danger of disappearing” because certain pesticides may no longer receive an exemption, i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) no longer allows their use.

On Thursday morning, the Dutch Fruit Growers Organization (NFO) came to the House of Representatives to convey the concerns of the cherry fruit growers. They fear for their harvest if they are not allowed to do anything about the so-called Suzuki fruit fly, which lays eggs in growing cherries that then rot.

The Asian fruit fly has been threatening Dutch fruit farms for more than ten years. For all these years, growers have been exempt from the use of two crop protection products, Exirel and Tracer. But this year the ministry does not want to issue it, to the dismay of the more than a hundred Dutch cherry growers.

The ministry says it bases its decision on a negative advice from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). In recent years, it carried out checks on cherry growers and it turned out that they did not comply with “the regulations for the safe application of pesticides”, according to a ministry spokesperson. Incorrect use of protective equipment poses a danger to surface water.

The House does not agree with the ministry’s decision and fears that bankruptcies will “disappear the cherry from the streets of the Netherlands”. The parties also think it is unfair because the pesticides are permitted in Germany.

Agriculture Minister Adema understands the concerns of the House and says that he is looking for a solution. He sees that more and more cherry growers are using pesticides better. “I’m in discussions,” he says. He hopes to come up with a solution soon.