Improved technology, organisation and marketing for the production of fruit and vegetables without pesticide residues.

Many farms growing fruit and vegetables under conventional farming systems are applying production techniques which reduce, either partially or totally, the application of synthetic pesticides. AgroTrend is a Polish Operational Group which is developing a zero-residue certification system providing more detailed information to the consumer about the quality of the product they are buying while encouraging further uptake of farming techniques to protect the environment.

Extensive use of chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers over the last century has had serious ecological impact. Many conventional farms are now implementing methods to reduce the negative effects of agriculture, improving the soil and the beneficial organisms it contains, and producing safe, healthy, high-quality products, but this effort is not always conveyed to the consumer. Artur Tymiński from BestBerry, lead partner of the Operational Group “The aim of our project was to find a way of improving the traceability and visibility of pesticide residue-free products on the market. So we are creating a label, a set of standards, which can also be an incentive for other conventional farmers to apply methods of reducing the level of active substances in fruit and vegetables.” He adds “Our company also produces organic fruit and vegetables but we noticed a demand for conventional, zero-residue products by supermarkets across Europe, even world-wide. We felt, particularly for larger conventional farms, this label could be a significant step towards reducing pesticide use in agriculture.”

The project aimed to develop a certification system which would support conventional agriculture on 3 levels: technology, organisation and marketing.