Sales in European countries of the key surplus for processing potato plantings ceased after reports of its residues in Dutch seed crops exceeding the maximum allowable limits.

The manufacturer of the drug, the international company Belchim, took precautions and stopped the sale of Teppeki (flonicamid) potato insecticide to European manufacturers during the investigation.

However, Adrian Sisson, Belchim's UK technical manager, emphasized that it is still legal to use Teppeki to process potatoes and that the product has not been recalled.

“We decided to stop selling it for use on potato fields in Europe until we figure out how these excesses occurred. Manufacturers who already have stockpiles of the drug on their farms can legally use it. Using Teppeki to process other crops is harmless, ”said a Belchim spokesman.

Teppeki is approved for two applications with a 14-day interval per season for processing potatoes. Also, the drug is approved for use on winter wheat, sugar beets, fodder beets and oilseed rape.