A multidisciplinary team comprised of entomologists, plant pathologists, specialists in machinery and environmental impact analyzed the orchards between 2010 and 2013.
One of the important issues to be considered to strengthen the sustainable development and competitiveness of the national fruit production is the proper use and handling of pesticides to control pests. This was the focus of the study by the Institute of Agricultural Research, INIA, under the Seminar for the Completion of the Project "Management of Phytosanitary Strategies for Orchards of Fruit for Export Aimed at Reducing the Use of Pesticides", funded by the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Secretary of Agriculture, Alvaro Cruzat, highlighted the job being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture to develop initiatives that promote food safety for Chilean products. "The phytosanitary requirements of the target markets are growing. Their premise, apart from the maximum residue limit, is that the imported vegetable products don't have quarantine pests. This has resulted in an increase in the use of pesticides and, even though there is a spike in terms of total costs, it's irrelevant when contrasted with the negative effects, both commercial and to the country's image, which the detection of a quarantine pest would imply. "
The study, conducted between 2010 and 2013, focused on finding strategies to strengthen the commercial position of the most important fruit export from Chile: table grapes and apples, by improving pest control and minimizing the health impact on people and the environment.
INIA's National Director, Pedro Bustos Valdivia said that following the accession of Chile to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it became clear that the use of pesticides in Chile is above this Organization's reference standards. "While we are regulated by government regulations, the acquisition of pesticides is free and done without giving producers a responsible technical recommendation. In addition, at the market level, there is minimal training and a lack of visualization of the risks there are at the time of their use and management by farmers, becoming a potential source of risk to the health of the operators and a source of contamination of food, water and soil, "he said.
Source: Diariodelagro
