UK biopesticide company Eden Research announced that its commercial collaborator, Eastman Chemical Company, has received authorisation for the sale of its product Cedroz in Greece, to be sold to the market via regional distributor K&N Efthymiadis.
Greece is considered an important market in the EU for the commercialisation of Cedroz, with fruit and vegetable crops accounting for 18.8% of total agriculture production, according to Eden.
The Cedroz authorisation covers both indoor and outdoor use on a wide variety of crops, including strawberries, tomatoes, aubergine, peppers, okra, cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, melon and watermelon. Cedroz is a bionematicide that tackles root knot nematodes, a pest that causes severe damage to crops globally, both in open field and greenhouse situations.
Currently, 93% of the glasshouse space in Greece is used for vegetable production, and produce has been in higher demand during the Covid-19 pandemic, Eden stated. The Athens Central Market (OKAA) reported in the peak of the crisis that wholesale prices had increased by 50% in tomatoes and 5% in cucumbers. Tomatoes are Greece’s main vegetable export, shipping to 40 countries around the world, primarily in Europe, Middle East and USA.
Over the past three years, the UK has spent approximately €22.5 million on average for supplies of Greek tomato products accounting for more than 36% of the total Greek turnover of tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and tomato sauces.
The demand for Cedroz stems from it being residue-free and having a zero-day pre-harvest interval, which allows for applications right up to harvest. This stands Eden’s product in good stead for inclusion in crop protection programmes that meet consumer demand for quality produce that is free from pesticide residues and intentionally added plastics.
Heightened consumer awareness about the origins and standards of the food they purchase and the presence of microplastics in the environment are clear drivers for increasing regulatory scrutiny of crop protection products in today’s market and in future years. Both active ingredients used in Cedroz, geraniol and thymol, also received approval as organic inputs across the EU earlier this year.
Sean Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Eden (@edenresearch), said: “The authorisation of Cedroz in Greece marks the entry into the first of our key markets in the EU. The annual production for tomatoes in Greece alone is approx.600,000 tonnes, making it an attractive proposition for regional distributor, K&N Efthymiadis, to market and sell Cedroz.
“The country also exhibits a wide range of other crops for which Cedroz is a suitable crop protection solution. Eden already has a presence in the region with its fungicide product, which is also distributed by KNE, and has recently received a label extension for Mevalone for use on olives and tomatoes for the treatment of botrytis. We look forward to working with our partners to introduce and sell our sustainable solutions to Greek farmers across the country.”
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