The widespread use of plant protection products has a significant impact on the environment. High and uncontrolled use of pesticides can cause long-term harmful effects on soil fertility and quality.
Additionally, the industrialization of agricultural production and the increasing use of pesticides, often accompanied by various controversies regarding food safety, result in consumer dissatisfaction and a lack of trust in institutions and control mechanisms for food safety.
The main problem in the use of pesticides is the use of inappropriate techniques, namely sprayers, which is why great importance is placed on the correctness of the devices, implying a quality distribution of the applied agent across the surface.
With this in mind, in 2009, the European Commission published the European Directive 2009/128 on the sustainable use of pesticides, aiming to fill the regulatory gap in the use of field equipment for the distribution of plant protection products, known to suffer from serious deficiencies in efficiency. Directive 2009/128/EC and the Law on Sustainable Use of Pesticides envisage a set of measures for achieving the sustainable use of pesticides in the EU.
Why is this important for Montenegrin agricultural producers?
These measures also relate to Montenegro because, as a potential future EU member, our country is obliged to take all necessary measures to introduce mandatory control of the correctness of machinery used for the application of plant protection products, as well as to ensure its implementation in practice and to coordinate and monitor the control process.
During the previous year, through the Pesticide Use Device Monitoring Program by the 2020 Phytosanitary Measures Program, General Guidelines for the monitoring of atomizers (pesticide use devices) were developed.
These activities represent one of the first steps towards achieving the main goal, which involves establishing a system of regular control of all existing machinery and issuing a certificate with an assigned sticker of the device’s correctness that is in professional use for the application of plant protection products in Montenegro.
BioLab Tehnopolis – the only laboratory in Montenegro that has equipment to test the technical correctness of atomizers and tractor sprayers
The biotechnological laboratory, BioLab Tehnopolis, is the only one in Montenegro that possesses equipment for testing the technical correctness of atomizers and tractor sprayers. The equipment was provided through the IPA 2016 component, with the main goal of improving the quality and safety of agricultural products, while protecting the environment, through the verification of the correctness of machinery used for the application of plant protection products, and thus rationalizing the use of pesticides.
As this type of inspection had not been conducted in Montenegro before, BioLab was authorized by the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary, and Phytosanitary Affairs to conduct a pilot project to test the correctness of 20 devices through the 2021 Phytosanitary Measures Program.
The testing involves field visits and inspection of devices at registered agricultural producers, listing of devices for the use of plant protection products including parts necessary for the operation of the device (sprayer, manometer, filters, sieves, tank cleaning equipment), and checking their operation.
Since IEC Tehnopolis currently does not have the appropriate space for conducting device correctness testing, activities are carried out with a part of the equipment that is mobile, and testing is performed on-site.
In addition to employees of BioLab, a doctoral student from the Biotechnical Faculty, Mr. Balša Bajagić, is engaged in the professional part of the testing.
The decision on which agricultural producers will be covered by the testing was made based on several factors, by the regulations of the Monitoring Program:
- Agricultural area,
- Market presence,
- The volume of turnover,
- And a ranking system according to the potential level of risk.
Thus, apart from agricultural producers, companies Voli Nasa basta and Plantaze 13. jul, as well as devices of the Biotechnical Faculty in Podgorica, are also covered by the testing.
Upon completion of the testing, a report is created based on which producers can see the actual condition of the equipment, and what needs to be changed to be ready for use.
So far, the correctness testing for 17 devices has been completed, while testing for three more is to follow, by the scope of the Pesticide Use Device Monitoring for 2021.
For information on machinery testing, you can contact us by email: office@tehnopolis.me.
