Key facts
- COCERAL's 2023 Mycotoxins Survey involved 19 key players across 14 European countries.
- The survey covers over 36 million tons of traded grains, representing more than 16% of the EU market share.
- The report warns of increased mycotoxin prevalence and severity, leading to unpredictable food and feed safety issues.
- Economic repercussions for grain collectors and traders include increased sampling, testing, recalls, and rejections.
- Recommendations for farmers include using certified seed material, adopting better crop rotation, and applying fungicides when needed.
COCERAL, the European association representing trade in cereals, oilseeds, and agrosupply, has released its latest report on mycotoxin management. The 2023 Mycotoxins Survey, which involved 19 key players across 14 European countries, indicates a projected increase in the prevalence and severity of mycotoxin contamination in grains.
The survey highlights that these rising contamination levels are expected to lead to unpredictable food and feed safety issues, causing significant economic repercussions for grain collectors and traders. These repercussions include increased costs associated with sampling, testing, product recalls, and rejections, which could ultimately alter food and feed security patterns at both EU and international levels.
COCERAL members are actively engaged in managing mycotoxin risks. Agrosupply distributors advise farmers on preventative agricultural practices, such as recommending fusarium-resistant seeds and adapted fungicide treatments. Collectors and traders analyze crop samples at various stages, from harvest to delivery. The report emphasizes that effective sampling, testing, proactive measures, and scientific collaboration are essential for managing mycotoxins, ensuring food and feed safety, and mitigating economic impacts.
Recommendations for farmers include performing meteorological surveys during critical crop stages like flowering, using certified seed material, adopting better crop rotation practices, and applying fungicides at the appropriate time and dosage when weather conditions necessitate it. The survey participants collectively represent over 36 million tons of traded grains, accounting for more than 16% of the total EU market share.