INDUSTRY GUIDELINE INFORMATION ON RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS ON DECIDUOUS FRUIT FOR 2024/25 Version 3 – December 2024
Background and Information per fruit type
DISCLAIMER
The information contained on these pages regarding restricted use of crop protection chemicals confirmed to be used by industry has been compiled from information presently available and is provided on this site as guidance to industry. The Deciduous Fruit Producers’ Trust can however not accept any liability for its accuracy or content and users who rely on this information do so at their own risk.
Lindi Benić
Manager: Trade/ Market Access Affairs
HORTGRO
[Hortgro Pome (SAAPPA) and
Hortgro Stone (SASPA)
and South African Table Grape Industry (SATI)]
RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS ON LOCAL AND EXPORT DECIDUOUS FRUIT
BACKGROUND
- Restrictions highlighted in this document are provided as guidance to industry to ensure compliance with maximum chemical residue tolerances in countries to which South African deciduous fruit is exported. No absolute guarantee can however be given that export residue tolerances will not be exceeded in all instances.
- Restrictions contained in this document have been compiled from information currently available and will be reviewed and amended annually, according to information derived from local and export regulatory bodies, primary export markets and agrochemical companies.
- Recommendations and requirements on agrochemical container labels are based on current registrations of plant protection products used in the South African deciduous fruit industry and in terms of Act 36 of 1947 and good agricultural practice (GAP) and must be adhered to at all times. Specific requirements and restrictions regarding plant protection chemicals and maximum residue limits (MRL’s) of importing countries have made it necessary to introduce further restrictions in order to comply with export MRL’s.
- Please note, producers are responsible for exercising due diligence by complying with restrictions and keeping accurate and detailed records of all plant protection products applied. Producers are strongly urged, in their own interest, to abide by these restrictions to minimise the risk of residue tolerances being exceeded.
- Also note, export default withholding periods in this document are based on the active ingredient and not the formulation or trade names. Producers must take note of warnings on labels regarding use restrictions eg. due to possible spray residue, do not apply after pea berry size on table grapes.
INFORMATION ON RESTRICTIONS PER FRUIT TYPE
- Information on restrictions included in tables per fruit type, lists chemical active ingredients confirmed to be used in the deciduous fruit industry alphabetically, with relevant trade names included for convenience but not implying endorsement of specific trade names listed only. Also note, actives registered for use on deciduous fruit but not included on this list may be used by deciduous fruit producers.
- Values for maximum residue limits (MRL’s) for each active ingredient are expressed as parts per million (PPM), with local and export withholding periods expressed as number of days or as otherwise indicated.
- NOTE :
The Export Default MRL column in each table provides export Default MRL’s based on the strictest MRL per active ingredient, for the South African (SA) and the European Union (EU) Harmonised MRL, as from September 2008, since 80% plus of exports are destined for the EU.
Also note, requirements for adjusted Export Default Withholding periods were determined according to the Export Default MRL’s for 2013/ 2014, based on the Export Default. Where information on adjusted export default withholding periods could not be provided by agrochemical companies, to include in this document, producers and exporters are requested to contact agrochemical companies directly, as indicated in the tables.
Information provided on the site as Version 1, July 2024 will be reviewed to include any minor revised amendments and replaced as Version 2, October 2024, with a final update for 2024 as Version 3, December 2024.
Since amendments may arise between versions requiring further updating of the above information, if required, a date will be included to indicate that information was updated/ reviewed for the given version. Please ensure you confirm the most recently updated version/ update according to the date indicated on the website. Check the Version number and date to confirm that you have the latest information.
Abbreviations in tables below include: DP= dusting powder; EC= emulsifiable concentrate, SC= suspension concentrate, WG= water dispersible granule, WP= wettable powder; ** not after small pea-size berries; FST = application before or at fruit formation; PHT = Post-harvest treatment of fruit; LOD = lowest limit of detection; – = No MRL tolerance set; Exp. = Exempt from tolerance; Temp. MRL = Temporary MRL; (p) = Provisional MRL; t = Temporary MRL.
Industry Guideline Information on Restrictions on the Use of Plant Protection Products on Deciduous fruit for 2024/25 – VERSION 3 – December 2024, on HORTGRO website
For your information amendments to this version include:
SA/EU/Export default MRL and/or export default withholding period information/ Codex MRL information:
- Deltamethrin – EU MRL on plums and pears
- Dithianon – EU MRL on pears and apples
- Metalaxyl-M (Mefenoxam) – EU MRL on table grapes
- Potassium phosphite – EU MRL change on apples
- Spinetoram – Export Default Withholding Period on table grapes
- Thiacloprid – Export Default MRL and Export Default Withholding Period on peaches & nect., pears and apples
- Mancozeb – Export Default MRL and Export Default Withholding Period – Version 2 – October 2024, note added on apricots, peaches & nect., plums, pears, apples and table grapes, now indicating *VOTE POSTPONED.
- Maneb – Export Default MRL and Export Default Withholding Period – Version 2 – October 2024, – note added on apricots, peaches & nect., plums, pears, apples and table grapes, now indicating *VOTE POSTPONED.
Regarding the above, for noting:
In the EU, in the case of mancozeb and maneb, the group of dithiocarbamates needs to be reviewed as a whole, with the process underway and ongoing and being closely monitored by Hortgro. A draft EU Dithiocarbamates regulation was put forward for voting at the EU Standing Committee (SC) – Pesticides Residues (PR) Meeting in September 2024, with the vote postponed and a note added to the Version 2 – October 2024 MRL information, anticipating a vote at the November EU SC PR Meeting. With the November vote once again postponed, the vote is now foreseen in February 2025 (with a proposed reduced EU MRL for mancozeb/maneb likely not to affect the 2024-25 season).
- EU MRLs, take note of proposed Draft EU MRLs (not applied regarding Export default MRLs since they are unpublished), which once published will impact on future EU MRLs.
Inclusion of newly registered/additional actives:
- Azadirachtin (BIONEEM) on apricots, peaches & nect., plums, cherries and table grapes
- Ethephon (FARMAG ETHEPHON) on apples
- Potassium phosphite (EMPOWER 400 SL) on table grapes
- Potassium salts of fatty acids (NEUDOSAN) on apricots, peaches & nect., plums, cherries, pears, apples and table grapes
- Trichoderma asperellum strain TRC900 (REAL TRICHODERMA) on apricots, peaches & nect., plums and cherries
Please review trade names to confirm further verified / newly registered trade names provided by agro-chemical companies for this version.
As previously indicated, agrochemical labels constitute the legal entity and must always be consulted to confirm registration of products/trade names on relevant deciduous fruit crops, prior to use. It is strongly recommended that producers request product labels as reference to confirm registration of given trade names on relevant deciduous fruit crops, prior to purchase/use of the product.
Regarding MRL information per country:
Amendments to the previous version are not highlighted, however, as previously indicated, the MRL Notes column flags actives which have no MRL (indicated as -) or MRL’s lower than the export default MRL, based on specific country MRL’s or Codex MRL’s, in cases where Codex is/may be applied (ie. MRL values in square brackets, under MRL Notes). It is recommended that these are reviewed in conjunction with MRL information per country, as required.
Please review information per fruit type, as required, for further details.
Also refer to MRL Special Notes 2024/25 – ALL Fruit Types, under MRL documents, to see explanatory information.
Refer to: https://www.hortgro.co.za/markets/market-access/
Lindi Benić
Manager: Trade/ Market Access Affairs
HORTGRO
representing Hortgro Pome & Hortgro Stone
and
South African Table Grape Industry (SATI)
E-mail: lindi@hortgro.co.za
Tel: Int +27 21 8702900 Cell: Int +27 83 708 4947
Derogations
Derogations - Way Forward
Following further related discussions regarding the above and the need for derogations to be handled case by case and not generically, this email confirms the way forward is for derogations to follow a user–pay approach.
Industry parties (producers and exporters) requiring derogations to be compiled, should forward their requests to Mr Kobus Hartman Email: jacobus@iafrica.com; Mobile: 082 801 5308.
For any further related enquiries, please contact Lindi Benić or Suzette Poole at telephone: 021 870 2900.