Latest news with #Mancozeb
Euractiv
30-06-2025
- Health
- Euractiv
Reclaiming Mancozeb: Time to Restore the Tool That Helps European farmers Feed Europe
By Potato Research Institute, Czech Republic / Polish Potato Federation / Porbatata, Portuguese Potato Association / Potato and Vegetable Growers Union, Slovak Republic 'You grow it or you mine it', as the saying goes. Simple as it may sound, it highlights a fundamental reality of our life – nearly all critical resources come either from earth below or the soil above. As potato and apple farmers in the EU, we stand proudly on the side of growing. Yet working on land is not always easy. Each season brings new challenges: changing weather conditions, shifting market dynamics, as well as persistent threats from various crop diseases. We are fortunate to have access to essential tools – such as fertilisers and fungicides – that help us protect the yield and make the most of every hectare. Tools such as Mancozeb – a highly effective and affordable solution for ensuring crops resistance from increasingly severe crop diseases driven by climate change. For over 60 years, European farmers have been using mancozeb to protect potatoes, grapes, cereals, and fruits from fungal diseases including the most deadly one – potato late blight. Sadly, we have been deprived of this tool in 2020, as a result of a damning European Commission's decision to withdraw the authorisation of Mancozeb in the EU. The ruling looked simple on paper: 'The approval of the active substance mancozeb is not renewed'. Behind that ruling, lied reliance on outdated and unreliable (as not based on good laboratory practice) data going back as far as 1980, weak scientific evidence, conservative opinions and unjustified reluctance to consider new facts and industry input. This poor judgement led to significant financial losses and reduced yields for European famers, potato and apple producers in particular, – a vital sector that the European Commission is supposed to support and protect. Let us give a few examples: Losing Mancozeb in France – the EU's second biggest potato producer – has reduced the ability of potato growers to combat late blight and apple growers to fight scab; as well as leaving them with no solution against rust diseases. Growers are now faced with difficult decisions about replanting crops or shifting production entirely in some historical production areas. Having been deprived of the opportunity to use Mancozeb, Polish potato industry – fourth biggest in the EU – has been suffering year-on-year losses and increased production costs. In Portugal, where small and medium-sized potato producers predominate, the absence of Mancozeb forces the use of alternative solutions which are generally fewer in number and more expensive. After five years of uncertainty, difficulties, and legal proceedings, there is finally a glimmer of hope on the horizon. In October 2024, the European Court of Justice challenged the decision to withdraw the authorisation of Mancozeb in the EU, citing various procedural errors. The General Court hearing that follows the court ruling is set to take place on 1 July 2025 and may become the first step in overturning the Commission's non-renewal decision and lead to the reinstatement of Mancozeb in Europe. It may also be a turning point in our efforts to regain this important tool to effectively fight plant disease at affordable costs. It would also be a return to strong and objective science. Even more so, it contributes to the EU's efforts to achieve food security and price stability, especially in the face of climate-related crop pressures and mounting trade tensions that threaten the competitiveness of EU agriculture. You grow it or you mine it. And while the soil we cultivate here in Europe may not glitter like a mine, what we yield is just as valuable: agricultural resilience, support for local economies, and safer food for European citizens. To continue delivering these benefits, we need the right tools – and the support to use them. Mancozeb should be back and subjected for a fair and transparent risk assessment that would pave the way for its approval in Europe.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Rain-hit green gram crop shows signs of nutrient stress in Belagavi
Belagavi: Due to heavy rains and increased moisture, the green gram crop is facing nutrient deficiency in Belagavi district. To date, green gram has been sown in more than 32,000 hectares out of the total 41,000 hectares of land meant for the crop in the district. Farmers are concerned as the leaves of the crop are turning yellow in many places. Agriculture department sources said early sowing of the crop this year is one of the reasons for this effect. According to agricultural officials, this time, the sown crop is suffering from increased moisture. Farmers are worried about leaves turning yellow and preserving the crop. Green gram was sown in a total of 41,066 hectares in the entire district. The highest area of green gram sowing in the district is in Ramdurg taluk, with the crop being grown in 19,610 hectares. There are 18,181 hectares of green gram crop area in Savadatti, 1,936 hectares in Yaragatti, and 260 hectares in Hukkeri taluk. The green gram crop has already sprouted in more than half the area, while heavy rainfall has hindered sowing in the rest. Solution for crop problem Agriculture department officials have suggested solutions to overcome the problem of leaf yellowing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cuối cùng, chơi miễn phí game chiến thuật hay nhất 2025! Sea of Conquest Phát ngay Undo They say it is necessary to provide nutrients through the leaves. If the crop is less than 20 days old, 2 grams of 19:19:19 fertiliser and 2 grams of 13:0:45 fertiliser should be mixed in 1 litre of water and sprayed on the leaves. In addition, 1 gram of Thiamethoxam insecticide and 1 gram of Carbon Dyzim or (1 gram Carbendazim + Mancozeb) compound fungicide should be sprayed separately to manage the sap-sucking grey disease. Now, if the crop is 29 to 30 days old, 3 grams of 19:19:19 fertiliser should be mixed with 3 grams of 13:0:45 fertiliser for 1 litre of water and sprayed. Sidagouda Modagi, the president of Bharateeya Krishik Samaj (BKS), said that green gram is a sensitive crop. Even slight changes in the climate can affect the growth of the crop. The steps recommended by the officials can be followed, but the crop protection methods that farmers have been following through years of experience are the most effective. If there is more sunshine, the moisture-induced diseases will be reduced. HD Kolekar, joint director of the agriculture department, said the department is ready to help farmers in all situations. Officials are visiting fields and advising farmers on plant protection. Under Sanjeevini scheme, farmers can also avail the services of the agriculture department. —— Box here
Epoch Times
13-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Living Near Golf Courses May Double Parkinson's Risk, Study Finds
Residents living within one mile of golf courses may face more than double the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) compared to those living farther away, according to new research. Potentially Due to Groundwater Contamination The case-control study, recently published in Researchers looked at how close the individuals lived to golf courses and whether their drinking water came from groundwater sources, especially in regions vulnerable to groundwater contamination from pesticide or herbicide use. The findings show that those living within one mile of a golf course had more than twice the odds of developing Parkinson's compared to those living more than six miles away. The study also found that residents whose tap water was supplied from groundwater sources, particularly in regions prone to groundwater pollution, faced nearly twice the risk of developing Parkinson's if their water source was near a golf course. While the study did not measure the type of pesticides used at the golf courses, the authors wrote that studies have linked pesticides used to treat golf courses with the development of PD. Examples of these pesticides include chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Mancozeb (maneb), and so on. Pesticides have been linked to nerve cell damage associated with Parkinson's, and are still commonly applied to golf courses to keep turf healthy and aesthetically pleasing. Related Stories 4/6/2025 12/7/2024 These can enter the environment through runoff or groundwater Parkinson's is progressive and currently has no cure. Risk of developing the degenerative condition increases with age, and most patients are diagnosed when more than 50 years old. Dr. M. Maral Mouradian, distinguished professor of neurology and director of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Institute for Neurological Therapeutics, and not involved in the study, told The Epoch Times that the study adds to growing evidence that environmental exposures may play a role in the disease's development. An unrelated This can be due to golf courses striving for a visually appealing, uniform appearance that can be achieved using large amounts of pesticides to control weeds, insects, and diseases that could compromise this look. 'We were contacted by a golf community of approximately 2200 people because of a concern that PD was unusually prevalent in their community,' wrote the researchers of the 2020 study. They discovered that among the multiple pesticides used on the golf course, there were three previously linked with Parkinson's risk: Mancozeb, 2,4-D, and manganese oxide. Significant Limitations of the Study: Expert Independent experts, not involved in the study, urge caution over interpreting the results. Dr. Michael Genovese, physician and chief medical adviser at Ascendant New York, told The Epoch Times that researchers didn't directly measure pesticide exposure, such as testing people's blood or checking the water for chemicals. 'That means we cannot say pesticides caused the increase in Parkinson's,' he said. 'We can say that the results are very suspicious and match what other research has shown about pesticides being harmful to the brain.' Professor David Dexter, director of research at Parkinson's UK, explained other significant limitations of the JAMA study in a 'Firstly, Parkinson's starts in the brain 10-15 years before diagnosis and the study didn't only use subjects who permanently lived in the area,' he said. 'This would not only affect participants' exposure, but also suggests their Parkinson's could have started before they moved around a golf course.' Additionally, the population was not matched for location, with 80 percent of the Parkinson's subjects living in urban areas, compared to only 30 percent of controls, Dexter continued 'hence other factors like air pollution from motor vehicles, etc. could also account for some of the increases in Parkinson's incidence.' Genovese said this study should still be considered a 'wake-up call,' even if it does not offer absolute proof. 'The pattern it shows is tough to ignore.'
