Agriculture, Ecology, Estonia, Markets and Companies

During a meeting at the Ministry of Rural Affairs on Friday which brought together actors in agriculture and environmental organizations to discuss the Estonian stance regarding the planned ban on dimethoate, it was decided that Estonia is in favor of banning dimethoate and that attention has to be paid to the possibility of using alternatives, Sigmar Suu, head of the plant health department at the ministry, told.

The most commonly used plant protection agents based on dimethoate are Danadim, Devigon, Perfekthion, Rogodan, Rogor and Trimetion.

Dimethoate is a contact and systemic organophosphate insecticide effective against a broad range of insects and mites that has been cleared for use on cereals, vegetables and ornamental plants.

In Estonia dimethoate has received media coverage mainly in connection with irregularities related to its use on rapeseed fields, where it poses a threat to pollinating insects, in particular bees.

The parties invited to Friday's meeting were the gardening association MTU Eesti Aiandusliit, the seed growers' association MTU Eesti Seemneliit, the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce, the Beekeepers Association and the Professional Beekeepers Association, the Estonian Chamber of Environmental Associations, the Agricultural Board, the Estonian Crop Research Institute and importers of plant protection agents BASF Agricultural Solutions Eesti, Syngenta Eesti, Bayer CropScience Eesti and Berner Eesti OU, not all of whom made it to the meeting, spokespeople for the ministry said.