Rice production in Spain at risk of extinction due to herbicide ban

particular the herbicide AURA (Profoxydim 20%), which is already used in other European countries such as Italy, Greece and Portugal to control weeds. Over the past decade, rice areas in southern European countries, including Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and Greece, have fallen by more than 24%. At the same time, rice imports from countries with less stringent phytosanitary and labour regulations are growing rapidly. “We are working at the limit. “It is impossible to demand sustainable production without effective crop protection tools,” said Félix Liviano, president of the rice sector of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España. The cooperatives are asking for the use of the herbicide AURA to be allowed on 10-15% of the Spanish acreage, where it is critically needed. They are also calling for the introduction of reciprocity for imported products, as regulatory disparities between EU countries are exacerbating the crisis. While some countries allow the use of certain substances, ...