Minor Crops: Small Cultivation, Big Challenges…

In the agricultural world, it's not all about vast cereal fields or olive groves. There are also so-called "minor crops", which, although grown on smaller surfaces or consumed less, hold great economic, social, or cultural value in many regions.

Interestingly, a crop may be considered "minor" in one country and "major" in another. In Spain, for example, our diverse climates and soils allow for many such crops: nut trees, tropical fruits, eggplant, blackberry, raspberry, among others. A similar situation exists in neighboring countries like Greece, Portugal, and France.

Why do they need special attention?

Over the past 15 years, European regulations have progressively removed active substances deemed harmful to health and the environment. While this has improved food safety, it has also left minor crop producers with fewer tools to protect their crops. Most companies have focused their efforts and investments on major crops, which are more profitable, leaving minor crop growers with fewer viable options.

This could have serious consequences: loss of agricultural diversity, abandonment of traditional crops, and, ultimately, reduced variety in our diets.

What is being done?

To address this, national authorities have established simplified registration procedures that allow products authorized for major crops to be used on minor crops, provided certain conditions are met—such as existing Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) or the possibility of extrapolation.

What is AFEPASA's role?

At AFEPASA, we’ve been committed for years to supporting growers of lesser-represented crops. Our clear focus is to extend our sulphur-based product labels to include minor crops. Since sulphur is a natural active substance exempt from MRLs, the registration process is faster and more flexible.

Thanks to this commitment, we now hold minor use authorizations in countries such as:

• Spain: nut trees, tropical fruits, plum, cherry, blueberry, eggplant, pumpkin…

• Greece: cherry, pomegranate, fig, okra, kiwi, apricot…

• Portugal: avocado, raspberry, currant, passion fruit, persimmon…

• France: mango, papaya, pineapple, rose, celery, artichoke, pepper…

And we’re still working: there are more countries where we aim to expand our labels, and our commitment remains strong.