In January 2021, Defra approved an emergency
temporary authorisation for the use of a neonicotinoid
pesticide treatment on the 2022 sugar beet crop in England only
due to the risk to the crop from yellows viruses, which could
damage the UK’s sugar production.
The emergency authorisation was granted subject to strict
conditions including an initial threshold for use, to ensure the
seed treatment is used only if the predicted virus incidence is
at or above 19% of the national crop according to independent
modelling.
Following a relatively mild winter, modelling has today (1 March
2022) predicted a 68% level of virus incidence, which means the
threshold for use has been met and the seed treatment can now
proceed under strict conditions
Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation by
aphids which have the potential to spread beet yellows virus.
Sugar beet crops have been severely affected, with 2020 yields
down by a quarter on previous years. Other pesticide and organic
treatments are not sufficiently effective in controlling viruses.
63% of the UK’s sugar comes from domestic production of sugar
beet which could be at risk if a significant amount of the
national crop is infected. The strictly time limited emergency
authorisation of this neonicotinoid treatment - Syngenta’s
Cruiser SB - will provide emergency protection against this
virus, which could significantly impact yields of the sugar beet
crop while the beet industry develops alternative solutions. Its
exceptional temporary use will be tightly controlled and only
permitted in very specific circumstances when strict requirements
are met.
The maximum amount of treatment approved for use is 6% of the
quantity of active substance applied on a range of crops in 2016
before neonicotinoids were prohibited.
Conditions of the authorisation include reduced application rate
as well as a prohibition on any flowering crop being planted in
the same field where the product has been used within 32 months
of a treated sugar beet crop.
12 EU countries - with significant sugar production - including
France, Belgium, Denmark and Spain have granted emergency
authorisations in the last three years for neonicotinoid seed
treatments following the EU-wide ban - backed by the UK – coming
into force.
The UK’s approach to the use of emergency authorisations has not
changed as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU, and is in line
with the approach taken across Europe. The UK’s work to harness
advancements in scientific research including through gene
editing will also help to develop crops that are more resistant
to aphids and other pests.
A Defra spokesperson said:
The decision to approve an emergency authorisation was not taken
lightly and based on robust scientific assessment. We evaluate
the risks very carefully and only grant temporary emergency
authorisations for restricted pesticides in special circumstances
when strict requirements are met and there are no alternatives.
The threshold for use has now been met according to the
independent scientific modelling conducted on the virus spread.
Under the terms of this authorisation seed treatment can go ahead
with strict controls in place to mitigate risks
