In the next five years, no alternative to glyphosate is going to “magically” appear in the market, Dr Bob Reiter, a high-ranking official from Bayer, told EURACTIV.com, referring to the controversial herbicide that has been the subject of heated debates across Europe.
Speaking to EURACTIV on the sidelines of the Future of Farming Dialogue event in Monheim, Dr Reiter, who is the head of research and development, crop science at Bayer, said glyphosate might be a “once in a lifetime product”.
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“We and our competitors have been investing since the 70s when glyphosate was introduced. And we still don’t see a molecule with the same capabilities that glyphosate has,” Reiter said.
Following a heated debate, EU member states in November 2017 renewed the approval of glyphosate, the world’s most commonly used weedkiller, for five years and can now be used as an active substance in Plant Protection Products (PPPs), until 15 December 2022.
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Bayer has vowed to spend roughly €5 billion over the next 10 years in the area of weed control and according to Reiter, a big piece of this investment will be earmarked to give growers more choices.
Read full, original article: No ‘magical’ alternative to glyphosate in the next 5 years, Bayer official says
