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Produce
Almeria, a display window
of the Mediterranean production
The biological pest control is applied to more than half of the volumes produced.
The biological pest control is brought
into function on 11,400 hectares under
the cultivation in Almeria region. The
surface dedicated to the cultivation
during the current campaign, according
to the estimations of the Andalusia
Council, is expected to reach almost
19,000 hectares, which would result
in a significant increase of production
volumes rising up to 1,700,000 tons,
implementing a growth of 65%, or, in
other words, more than a half of the
horticultural volumes produced in the
Almeria region.
Due to the successful implementation
of the biological pest control
program, the surfaces dedicated to
the cultivation of pepper as well as
the commercial value of this product
have shown an increasing tendency
during 2007/2008 campaign, though
the sector still has not fully recovered
from the surfaces` reductions in 2006.
As for the tomato sector, there has
been registered an increase, especially
in relation to the late plantation
and biological pest control surfaces,
which are foreseen to occupy in the
Almeria region around 400 hectares.
The Almeria professional organization
of exporters, Coexphal, is known as
the pioneer of the pest control practice
in the Almeria region due to the
company`s extensive program of professional
training and field managing.
"There are still some steps to take towards
zero residue outcomes, but we
are almost there in terms of insecticide
protection" declares Jan van der
Blom, the executive manager of the
program. The company`s successful
collaboration with the research centers
resulted in the development of a
new microbiological product against
the Spodoptera exígua, a blight that
significantly damages pepper plants.
The Coexphal`s associated company
Biocolor not only practices bio pest
control in the Almeria region, but
also participates in the various research
projects aiming to promote
some innovative products, as, for
example, peripheral plants with a
protective barrier against the dissemination.
The Almeria market has turned into
AENOR MARK
Biological Pest Control Certificate
The Spanish Standardization and
Certification Association, AENOR, has
been working with the food sector for
over 1 years for added safety in this
essential aspect of human health,
which is also a strategic sector of
the country’s economy. AENOR has
over 00 specific standards in its
catalogue and has issued over 1, 00
certificates to food sector-related
organizations.
The AENOR Mark Biological
Pest Control Certificate is one of the
latest initiatives of Spain’s leading
certification body. It is based on UNE
1 000:2008 and on the UNE 1 00
family of specific standards that set
out the quality and guarantees which
fruit and vegetables are required to
fulfil, covering such diverse aspects
as pest control methods, more
stringent personnel training requirements,
hygiene, protecting the
environment or quality management.
This new series of standards has
been drawn up at the request of the
growing and marketing sector asso-
ciated with the Spanish Federation
of Associations of Producers and
Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables,
Flowers and Live Plants, FEPEX, to
certify and differentiate the produce
grown on farms where pest control
is achieved by employing beneficial
insects which are natural enemies of
the pests, drastically reducing the
use of chemicals.
The standards for this certificate set
out the cultural (growing methods)
and biological methods (natural
enemies of the pests) to be used for
controlling each pest in each crop.
This series of standards addresses
the present tendency of the international
markets to demand pesticide
residue-free produce. The new certificate
entails companies adopting a
full (and audited) traceability system
in which this differentiation is guaranteed
from source.
Maximum confidence
Since the first UNE 1 000 standard
was drawn up in 199 , the AENOR
Mark has always been a label of
PePPer
the world biggest with the estimated
turnover of 30 million Euros. For the
current campaign almost 7,500 hectares
are dedicated to the cultivation
of pepper, as well as almost 30 % of
8,500 hectares fall on tomato cultivation,
and 40 % of 9,500 hectares
dedicated to the cultivation of such
winter cultures as cucumber, eggplant,
and zucchini.
Luis Miguel Fernandez, Agrocolor
maximum confidence from the point
of view of food safety and of the commitment
of the certified companies
and growers to continual inspection
and fulfilment of the requirements
demanded by the standard.
The UNE 1 000:2008 standard is
recognized as equivalent to the in-
EUROFRESH
DISTRIBUTION
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NOVEMBER
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Spain not only reached a position
of the European leader of the sector
according to the total amount of surfaces
dedicated to the biological pest
control cultivation and an estimated
turnover of this market sector, which
equals to 40 million Euros, but also
confirmed its position among other
countries of the Mediterranean region
as Morocco, Egypt, and Turkey.
ternational GLOBALGAP (EUREPGAP)
IFA V .0 protocol and together with
the UNE 1 00:2008 series of
standards is also recognized as equivalent
to the Andalusian Regional
Government’s Technical Regulations
for Integrated Production.