Lökodlare refused dispensation to use the herbicide Stomp – Sveriges Radio

Thorbjorn Hagstrom in Kastlösa on Öland, this means the end of his lökodling.

– If this turns out now with the ban, we will not grow onions until next year, we have decided.

Small lökstrån already looking in the Ölandic field – but also lots of weeds ..

– Yes there are other agents who take the weeds today but unfortunately takes them onions, too.

According lökodlarbranschen the herbicide Stomp absolutely necessary, but today established the Land and Environment Court an earlier decision by the Swedish Chemicals Agency if farmers do not receive an exemption to use it.

Thomas Isaksson on it economic association Kalmar Öland Garden Tools says that the decision could be the end for the Swedish onion in stores – and imports from the Netherlands, for example allowing Stomp and much more and more pesticides than Sweden will increase.

– Now we import something worse and put down our own culture. It is completely macabre and incomprehensible.

Chemicals Agency does not Given that other EU countries’ decisions but find that cultivates industry should have investigated more options. It says Agneta Westerberg, who is head of department at the Swedish Chemicals Agency:

– In the examination we can not take into account the competitive situation. What we can take into account the risk and danger of the culture. But then also the applicants have demonstrated that they have looked at all the other possibilities

Federation of Swedish Farmers, LRF that has pushed the issue of court also believes that the decision is a disaster for the Swedish culture of beans, parsley root, parsnips and chives.

According to Thomas Isaksson from Kalmar Öland Gardening conducted hard work to develop alternatives but the Swedish agricultural market is too small.

A significant part of the Swedish onions grown on Öland and Skåne and today industry associations from across the country convened an emergency meeting with parliamentarians

the active substance in Stomp is very toxic to aquatic organisms. However, it is today the only effective that can be used in lökodling if it must be organic – seven per cent of the Swedish culture today is organic according to Thomas and cost significantly more because the weeds which must be removed by hand.

LRF has appealed Chemicals Inspectorate decision to the Land and Environment Court which has not yet made a decision. The ban will also harm the bönodlingen Öland – a crop that can only be grown right there.

– They have previously been exempted five years – now you have to be more careful.

Alexandra Svedberg
alexandra.svedberg@sverigesradio.se