The decision by Minister Creed not to grant a derogation for the usage of plant protection product Redigo Deter is a severe blow to tillage farmers, IFA grain committee chair Mark Browne has said.

The IFA had written to the Minister requesting a derogation for the product due to its role in the control of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV). A Teagasc report on the virus reported yield losses of up to 3.7t/ha in winter barley and 1.2t/ha in winter wheat in Ireland.

It is estimated that this would reduce margins by €555/ha and €192/ha respectively in both barley and wheat.

Browne said there was a precedent for granting the derogation within the EU with Redigo Deter given one in Belgium, Denmark and Poland.

Viability

“The Irish tillage sector has lost a number of key active ingredients including the fungicide chlorothalonil. The failure to grant a derogation for Redigo Deter will further jeopardise the viability of Irish cereal crop production, which is already down over 50,000ha since 2012,” Browne said.

He said the failure of the Minister to support the sector further eroded the ability of Irish farmers to compete against feed imports from third countries “who produce grains under lower environmental standards”.

“Different standards at Irish and EU levels for native and imported grains cannot continue to be tolerated,” Browne said.

“It is hypocritical of the Irish Government to increase the regulatory burden on local cereal producers, forcing them out of production, while allowing increased access to non-EU feedstuffs produced to a lower standard”.