France - Plans to ease pesticide ban for sugar beet to curb crop losses

07.08.2020 959 views
The French government will propose lifting a ban on certain pesticides blamed for harming bees to protect sugar beet crops that have been ravaged by insects this year, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday. The government plans to support a legislative amendment in parliament later this year to exempt sugar beet for up to three years from a general ban on neonicotinoids, the ministry said in a statement following a meeting with sugar industry representatives. Sugar beet growers blame the ban on the neonicotinoid group of crop chemicals for insect attacks that could decimate yields this year and say this further threatens the French sugar sector after a price slump in recent years already led to factory closures. “French sugar beet producers are facing an unprecedented crisis: the jaundice virus transmitted by aphids has developed massively across France’s growing regions and is going to impact heavily sugar beet production,” the ministry said.
In addition to the proposed re-authorisation of neonicotinoid pesticides for sugar beet in time for next year’s spring planting, the ministry said 5 million euros ($5.9 million) would be offered to support research into alternatives to neonicotinoids. Farmers say outlawing these pesticides for sugar beet is not relevant to efforts to protect bees as the crop does not flower. They also blame the French authorities for applying a blanket ban on neonicotinoids whereas European Union regulations allow for exemptions. The ministry said the exemption for sugar beet would only apply to pre-treated seeds, with field-spraying of neonicotinoids to remain banned. For crop losses this year, which farmers say could reach 50% in the worst cases, the government will offer compensation to growers, the ministry added.
istanbul escort şişli escort tbilisi escort şişli escort şişli escort maslak escort istanbul escort beşiktaş escort taksim escort izmir escort ümraniye escort mecidiyeköy escort şişli escort
22.10.2026

USA - Cotton Producers Face New ARC PLC Decision Deadline

The special provision giving producers the higher of ARC or PLC for 2025 will not continue next year.

22.10.2026

Pakistan - Punjab unveils £300,000 climate-resilient agriculture project for Cholistan and Thal

The Government of Punjab announced a 300,000-pound pilot project to establish climate-resilient agriculture across arid desert regions. The 12-month targeted initiative specifically focuses on farming communities operating within the vulnerable Cholistan and Thal desert ecosystems.

22.10.2026

Cambodia looks into insurance scheme for agricultural cooperatives

Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is looking into a disaster-related insurance scheme designed for modern agricultural cooperatives.

22.10.2026

USA - Dec. 1 deadline set for 2027 pasture and forage insurance

Northeast farmers have until Dec. 1 to secure Pasture, Rangeland and Forage insurance coverage for the 2027 crop year, according to Crop Growers.

21.10.2026

India - Government launches Pashudhan Bima Portal to streamline livestock insurance, claims and monitoring

The Government today launched Pashudhan Bima Portal in New Delhi. The Portal will provide a single, integrated digital platform for livestock insurance, enabling streamlined policy issuance, claim processing, monitoring and reporting in case of animals insured under the Livestock Insurance Scheme of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. 

21.10.2026

Malaysia - Perak Perhilitan monitoring elephant herd after crop destruction complaints

The Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has received six official complaints this year from oil palm smallholders in Kampung Perlop 1, Sungai Siput, over wild elephants destroying crops and plantation infrastructure.

21.10.2026

Philippines - Ilocos Norte farmers seek insurance aid as drought causes crop damage

Farmers in Currimao, Ilocos Norte, have begun filing agricultural insurance claims after a prolonged dry spell caused an estimated Php 5 million in crop losses, threatening local agricultural production and livelihoods.

21.10.2026

USA - Safety Net or System Change? Minnesota Farmers Weigh Competing Visions

The state’s District 1 race offers a choice between an incumbent focused on crop insurance and markets, and a challenger calling for tariff relief and corporate accountability.