Weed killer ban sparks costs fear

BANNING the common weedkiller chemical glyphosate could have a damaging effect on the UK economy and farming, a report has warned.

If the pesticide ingredient was not available to farmers it could result in smaller crop yields and increased agriculture costs, according to research.

A decision on whether to relicence glyphosate, a chief ingredient in Roundup, will be taken by the European Commission by the end of the year.

Health concerns have previously been raised about the chemical, although the EU’s European Chemicals Agency has said it did not meet the criteria to be classified as a carcinogen.

Greenpeace has called on the European Commission to ban it, saying it “has led to degradation of ecosystems”. But a report by Oxford Economics and The Andersons Centre, in partnership with the Crop Protection Association, suggested a ban could see farming output fall in value by millions of pounds.

The report said: “A ban on glyphosate use is projected to lead to falling yields and production within the UK’s agricultural sector. Indeed, analysis conducted by the Andersons Centre indicates a ban could reduce the value of farm output by £940m.”

Ian Mulheirn, of Oxford Economics, said: “Our report’s findings are very clear, a glyphosate ban will negatively impact UK GDP and agriculture, at a time of real uncertainty for British farmers.”

Farmer Andrew Ward said “reckless politics” was getting in the way of agricultural livelihoods.

He said: “The report reveals what we have long feared, a glyphosate ban would reduce yields for some key crops and push up our costs.”