Reliance on countries such as Ukraine which are still allowed to use neonicotinoids to supply UK demand for oilseed rape (OSR) is growing, as UK production of the crop declines.
Speaking of his concern at the United Oilseeds and AHDB Agronomy Seminar, held in Northampton, managing director of United Oilseeds Chris Baldwin complained about the lack of a level playing field in terms of neonicotinoid use. Mr Baldwin said he had brought together UK agricultural industry organisations to see whether it was worth requesting a derogation for neonicotinoid use in OSR.
"Poland has got a derogation in the last two years and is going for one again this year. For harvest year 2019 the UK imported the best part of 275,000 tonnes of OSR from the Ukraine, all treated with neonics. This year [harvest 2020] we could import 500,000 to 600,000 tonnes."
Mr Baldwin did not find much enthusiasm for seeking a derogation, with political and technical reasons cited as stumbling blocks but said he was reluctant to have to let the matter go. "We are doing a report in order to make a proposal to RPA to try to get compensation if OSR does not get established, but people want to grow it, not be compensated for not growing it."
Falling tonnage
From a 2.2 million average annual tonnage grown between the years 2010-2014, the average annual UK tonnage of OSR had fallen to 1.5mt between the years 2015 to 2020, he said.
Difficult weather conditions have also led to significant crop losses this season with one Warwickshire grower at the event saying he expected to plough up or spray off 20 per cent of his OSR crop.
Mr Baldwin's comments come as NFU Combinable Crops Board chairman Tom Bradshaw warned of the potential loss of at least one UK oilseed rape crusher if the OSR planting area drops this autumn (see Farmers Guardian, January 31, page 4).
