British spud growers to be hit hard by slug pellet ban

Potato growers are set to be the hardest hit by the European Union ban on methiocarb slug pellets, which account for about half the slug control market for spuds. Sales of these poison-bait pellets, such as Draza forte and Decoy Wetex, are set to be banned by the end of August this year due to the risk to grain-eating farm birds. The withdrawal will limit growers to two products – metaldehyde and ferric phosphate – and will leave crops more susceptible to slug damage. Independent potato specialist John Sarup uses methiocarb as his number one product against slugs and says the ban is a major setback to the potato sector. More