'Realism' appeal in search for chemical tools

Director general Friedhelm Schmider spoke as ECPA published a report commissioned by itself and a similar organisation in the US, which claimed that the average cost of launching a new solution for pests or disease had risen 68 per cent in a decade – largely because of the cost of collecting environmental data for regulatory bodies. The process takes nearly ten years on average and the number of new products which make it has declined dramatically.

Mr Schmider said: "Despite the EU's Strategy 2020 aspiration to 'grow innovation', the reality for our industry is quite the opposite. It is becoming very hard to justify agrochemical R&D in the EU.

"Innovation is the heart and soul of our industry. We are engaged in a constant quest to improve our contribution to maintaining the food supply. Without advanced pest management, roughly 50 per cent of today's food crop production would be destroyed by pests and disease."