Response to the NVWA report

The floriculture sector has been focusing on transparency and safety from the point of view of sustainability in the chain for a long time.

Yesterday, the Dutch floriculture sector took note of the report by the Office of Risk Assessment & Research (BuRO) published by the NVWA on “plant protection products on possibly imported roses from countries not belonging to the European Union (EU)”. The sector attaches great importance to the protection and health of employees and consumers, takes the recommendations seriously and is therefore happy to discuss this with the NVWA. For a long time, the sector from the entire chain has been focusing on transparency, measurability and safety from the perspective of sustainability. From certification, there is an international sector standard for transparency, the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) “Basket of Standards”, including environmental standards and clear safety measures for all employees in the chain. The starting point is the same all over the world: flowers and plants must be safe for people, animals and the environment.

Health is always a priority

There have been regulations in the sector for a long time, at home and abroad, for wearing protective clothing for employees who work intensively with flowers. Only in case of daily and very prolonged contact (having flowers in your hands for about 8 hours a day) is it necessary to wear protective gloves. Everyone can bring a bouquet of flowers into their home with peace of mind. Previous studies and this report show that there is no increased health risk for consumers when used normally.

International plant protection products

The approval systems for plant protection products in Europe, Africa and South America, the countries where flowers and plants are produced, differ from local legislation. The starting point is the same all over the world: a drug must be effective and safe for people, animals and the environment. Which active substances are needed for a particular crop depends on several factors. Such as climate, cultivation systems and disease and pest pressure. In Africa, South America, but also Southern Europe, there are other diseases and pests than in the Netherlands, for example.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a mandatory part of certification. There are four steps within IPM: prevention, monitoring, control and evaluation. Combating with chemical plant protection products only comes in the third step, where the order is first biological, then mechanical (including traps) and only chemical last. As a result of this method, the use of plant protection products in the floriculture sector has declined sharply internationally in recent years.

Plant protection products remain important to protect crops against diseases or pests. The floriculture sector is taking major steps towards more environmentally friendly cultivation.

This is evident, among others, from the following results (source MPS, Florverde and RFH) from certified growers:

• Since 2015, there has been a decline of no less than 78% worldwide in the use of the most environmentally harmful (chemical) plant protection products.

• Globally, since 2015, there has been a 35% decline in the use of plant protection products per hectare in floriculture.

• Since 2015, there has been a 96% decline in the use of the most environmentally harmful products among Dutch growers of potted plants. When it comes to cut flowers, this is 88%.

• In Ecuador, the use of plant protection products has fallen by 64% since 2016.

• Kenya has seen a decline of as much as 58% in the use of the most environmentally harmful substances since 2019.

• In Ethiopia, there has been a 56% decline in the use of the most environmentally harmful substances by growers since 2019.

• Certification according to FSI (Basket of Standards with Environment, GAP (Good Agriculture Practice) and Social Certificates) requirements: 77% in the EU, 83% in Kenya and 89% in Ethiopia.

More and more people work in closed chains, where products are tested at the request of customers before they are offered to consumers in stores.

Together, we are working on a sustainable, transparent and innovative floriculture sector, in which the Netherlands continues to play a leading role in both cultivation and trade worldwide. Where many people work safely and happily and consumers can continue to enjoy flowers with peace of mind.

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