CASH-strapped consumers face yet more soaring food prices because of plans by Brussels to ban commonly-used pesticides.
Farmers' leaders in Scotland predict rises of up to 50% on some staple items such as cereals, potatoes and fruit at a time when food price inflation is already at its highest for almost 30 years.
The EU says it wants to ban a range of up to 50 che
micals for use on crops because of their potential hazard to human health. They contain ingredients, which have, in high doses, been linked to cancer and other conditions.
But farmers say the products have been used safely for decades with no evidence of harm to humans. Banning them would lead to a dramatic reduction in crop yields and a consequent increase in food prices.
Crops would be replaced with more expensive imports with economists forecasting a 50% rise in the cost of grain, leading to a 15% increase in the price of bread, 19% for milk, cheese and eggs, and a 16% increase in meat if the proposals go ahead.
The National Farmers' Union in Scotland and England is now lobbying members of the European Parliament to prevent the ban coming into place.
The NFU is being backed by the UK Government. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn, stressed his concern that "no proper assessment has been done on the impact of the cut-off proposals on agricultural production."
Consumer groups said they were worried about any measures that would add to the burden of hard-pressed buyers. A spokesperson for the Scottish Consumer Council said: "The SCC would obviously be concerned at anything that would cause food prices to continue to rise, given the pressure that this is already bringing to bear on families across Scotland, particularly those on lower incomes."
The proposals were agreed in June by a majority of EU farm ministers who want to see European food production move away from the use of pesticides to more "organic" production methods.
A second reading of the legislation – prior to it being incorporated into European law – is due this autumn.
The move will lead to at least 15% of pesticides used by UK farmers being phased out or banned across the Continent and could see crop yields of potatoes and other vegetables slump by as much as 60%.
Jim McLaren, president of NFU Scotland, said the EU had not recognised the impact of the proposals on consumers when household budgets were already being squeezed severely.
"These products underwent extensive testing before they were allowed to be used initially. There is no evidence they are injurious to human health," he said. "Many are pesticides vital to the continued production of food crops in Scotland, the UK and most of northern Europe. The risk for food supply, food security and food pricing is that if we lose these products then there is nothing there to replace them in the short term.
" The ability of Scottish farmers to produce these crops will be severely undermined."
A "conservative estimate" was that cereal yields could drop by 20%, which would equate to an annual loss of 60 million tonnes across the EU.
McLaren added: "When we lost a similar tonnage recently in the maize market in the US, prices went up by 60%. We can assume that there would be a similar price increase if EU cereal yields fall by 20%."
The Government's Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) said the EU had not clearly defined the risks of the products under threat or assessed the economic impact of a ban on farmers and consumers.
Graham Jellis, the HGCA director of research, said: "If these substances were banned and yields dropped, we have to find somewhere to import the deficit from. That's okay in a good year, but in a bad year there is nowhere to go. If you reduce grain supply, the price will go up."
The European Commission says the fears that the plans will affect food production and costs are "unjustified".
A spokesman said: "The commission proposal would affect only a few substances, which are the most problematic ones for human health and the environment."
He added that the industry would have time to adapt as most affected chemicals would not be withdrawn for several years.
If crop yields are affected by the legislation, it would be further bad news for consumers, with food inflation surging to a record 9.5% this year. The price of fresh produce alone rose 10.8% in July – the worst rate since 1980 – according to the British Retail Consortium.
Farmers' leaders also argue that reducing the number of chemicals will remove important weapons in the armoury against crop pests.
McLaren said: "Farmers use different products every year to ensure that resistance doesn't build up. Reducing our armoury could be catastrophic, and we are working hard to make sure that European politicians understand the severity of what is being proposed."
The full article contains 835 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
