A major source of illegal pesticides has been discovered in Russia, according to the European Crop Protection Association, which is trying to alert farmers everywhere to the danger of fake products.
The ECPA, representing legitimate agro-chemicals manufacturers, says the new find, near Kursk, close to the Ukraine border, involves around 100 tonnes of pesticide products and labelling and packaging equipment for turning out copies of patented bran
ds – but using banned or impure ingredients in many cases. The chemicals appear to have come from China.
The ECPA recently set up a special taskforce to fight the trade.
In 2006, German authorities conducting random tests found isofenphos methyl, an illegal pesticide, in peppers from southern Spain.
They issued an alert and authorities in 14 European countries found the same problem. Spanish police have since arrested 15 people and seized 4,000kg of pesticides in Almeria, centre of Spain's huge fruit and vegetable industry.
According to Rocky Rowe, the Briton running the ECPA investigation, five to seven per cent of Europe's supply of crop protection products is likely to be fake, representing £398m.
Mr Rowe said: "No-one can be sure what these products contain. Counterfeit and illegal pesticide products are completely untested and can contain toxic impurities and contaminants as well as dangerous solvents and other materials."
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