Healthy foods, produced in a sustainable way and without residues have been gaining a place in the shopping list of consumers. The horticultural sector has had to adapt by carrying out a transformation of this trend that is in favor of food safety , healthy living and a greater commitment to the environment.
A study carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2019 , reinforced the idea that food safety is a factor that influences both the choice of food and the eating habits of the majority of European people surveyed.
In addition, in that same study, it was collected that Spaniards were substantially concerned about residues in food . This concern has progressively modified the demands of the end consumer and has, in turn, led to greater control of more exhaustive waste by the large distribution chains.
What requirements must horticultural products meet for today’s consumer
When they go to a store, consumers show among their main concerns that fruits and vegetables are healthy and of quality, in addition to having been produced without damaging the environment. In this sense, in recent years the demand for products produced in an ecological way or with zero residue products has increased, as would be the case of phytosanitary, biostimulant and nutritional products , manufactured and marketed by SIPCAM Iberia .
The quality / price ratio is another aspect that consumers value the most when purchasing horticultural products , as well as a good presentation and labeling that is detailed and correct.
Europe aims to transform the way food is produced and consumed in its EU member states to reduce the footprint produced on the environment, reinforce its responsiveness to crises and ensure the availability of healthy and affordable food for today’s population. and the future .
The aim, through the “ From Farm to Table ” Strategy , is to reduce the use of the most dangerous chemical phytosanitary products by 50% and the use of fertilizers by at least 20%, without altering the fertility of the soil. , in 2030. In addition, for that same year, the Commission will encourage 25% of all agricultural land to be dedicated to organic farming . All this, in order to contribute to climate neutrality between now and 2050 , making the current food system of the European Union evolve towards a sustainable model.
SIPCAM ZERO CULTURE
Thinking about the future, SIPCAM group has been working on the Cultivo Zero® project for several years , developing products with a very favorable residual profile and generating Zero Cultivation Guides® that offer farmers a high added value service to respond to their needs with a wide catalog of solutions for different crops . The main objective of all this is that the manufacturer and marketer of phytosanitary, biostimulant and nutritional products is to achieve a future free of phytosanitary residues in horticultural crops .
Many of SIPCAM Iberia’s products are integrated into the program that has been promoted by the Cultivo Zero® company . As explained by the operational marketing delegate of SIPCAM Iberia , Eduardo Molero , “the products with this seal are of the latest generation with efficiencies similar to the conventional chemical formulation phytosanitary products” and are based on the following pillars:
• Free of residues , with the use of active materials that degrade quickly or have no residues because they are of natural origin.
• Alternatives to be introduced in the farmer’s anti-resistance strategy .
• Products fully compatible with the use of auxiliary fauna and also safe for the applicator.
• “ Zero imitations ”, since they are products that have no competition and are “last generation”.
Azadiractin made the company a pioneer in bioprotection, since it is a material with more than 25 years of success in the market from which the Align bioinsecticide was developed in the 1990s and which today is the flagship of the iconic Zenith A26 .
In addition, within the framework of the Cultivo Zero® project, which is being worked on by SIPCAM , the Cultivo Zero® Guides have been launched with the aim of offering technicians and farmers a valuable service that will allow them to improve the quality and profitability of their productions , complying with the additional requirements demanded by large distribution chains and, ultimately, by consumers. According to Pablo Granell , coordinator of the SIPCAM Iberia Zero® Crop Guides . The Zero® Grow Guides produced by SIPCAM include horticultural, citrus , fruit trees, strawberries and berries.
