Fungicide Pitcher banned in the Netherlands from May 2027
The Ctgb has withdrawn permission for Adama's widely used pesticide, which contains fludioxonil, after a court ruled it should never have been authorised.
i
Illustrative photo: JoachimKohler-HB / CC BY-SA 4.0
The Ctgb, the Dutch board that authorises pesticides and biocides, has withdrawn the authorisation of Pitcher, a fungicide made by Adama and widely used in agriculture and horticulture. The product contains the substance fludioxonil. Using it is banned from May 2027.
The decision follows a court ruling last summer. The judge ruled that Pitcher should not have been given permission and must leave the market as soon as possible. A Ctgb spokesperson said that, with current knowledge, the product would not have been given permission.
"It's rare for a product's authorisation to be withdrawn after a reassessment," the spokesperson said.
The withdrawal applies only to Pitcher. The Ctgb said it is studying what the ruling means for the permission given to other products.
Jan-Willem van der Klugt, Adama's bulb manager, said the company was not directly involved in the court case. He said Adama takes note of the ruling and will accept it.
More on climate, nature and farming
Ctgb (College voor de toelating van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en biociden)
The Ctgb is the Dutch board that decides whether plant protection products (pesticides) and biocides may be sold and used in the Netherlands. It grants, restricts and withdraws authorisations for products such as fungicides, herbicides and disinfectants, based on assessments of safety for people, animals and the environment. Its decisions determine which products farmers, growers and businesses are allowed to use.