France issues import ban on cherries

On 25 March 2023, the French government once again imposed an import ban on fresh cherries. This time, the trade restriction applies if the cherries come from countries where the active substance phosmet is still approved for treatment.

Phosmet is an insecticide that has no longer been authorised in the EU since last February and whose phase-out period ended in November 2022. The import and marketing ban is a national unilateral action.

France referred to the high acute toxicity of phosmet and the associated possible ARfD overruns at the still existing maximum residue limit of 1 mg/kg for cherries.

The French government fears that a draft EU regulation to lower the MRL, which is already in preparation, will not be adopted in time for the 2023 harvest season.

YOUR PLUS: Not only residues of the active ingredient phosmet are reliably detected and quantitatively determined in our residue monitoring packages. The evaluation of the results is carried out in accordance with European specifications and, on request, also in accordance with further national, association or customer-specific specifications.

Author: Dr. Frank Mörsberger