Mancozeb: Its Value to the EU Potato Industry

Mancozeb is a multi-site fungicide used to control late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and early blight (Alternaria solani) in potatoes, and is currently due for re-approval as part of the EU Sustainable Use Directive—Authorisation of Plant Protection Products Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. In order to understand its value to the EU potato industry, a stakeholder survey was conducted to understand the implications for P. infestans control and the impact on EU potato production if mancozeb was not available. In total, 319 growers and advisers were surveyed in 8 countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Spain and the UK, to determine how they use mancozeb, potential alternative control strategies and the implications of withdrawal. This study demonstrates that mancozeb is a widely used and cost-effective multisite active ingredient, which is a highly valued means of control for P. infestans. Based on the survey results, a loss of mancozeb would lead to a reduction in gross margin for potato producers in these countries of €87 million to €507 million depending on the level of P. infestans pressure. The combined impact of high cost of production and increased risks is likely to lead to reductions in the availability of EU potatoes and increased costs to consumers. In addition, an assessment was completed to determine the impact of mancozeb withdrawal on fungicide resistance development to single-site acting fungicides, finding that the loss of a multi-site active ingredient like mancozeb would severely compromise fungicide resistance management.