More than a hundred producers, marketers, and researchers from the kaki sector joined forces today, within the framework of Kakifórum 2025, to look for effective pest prevention and control strategies that guarantee the economic viability of this crop in the short and long term. The conference organized by the Spanish Kaki Association (AEKAKI), the Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA), and the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA), with the assistance of the Minister of Agriculture, Miguel Barrachina, analyzed the latest developments in pest control, as kaki is becoming "The crop with the greatest food waste with average production losses of more than 30% in the field."
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The specialists addressed the difficulties of controlling whiteflies, cotonets, and the new South African thrips (Scirtothrips aurantii) that have burst onto the scene in a widespread and virulent way since last season. In response to the EU's increasingly strict phytosanitary and environmental requirements, the researchers also presented new strategies for biological control and sustainable pest management.
"Kaki is going through some commercial stability, but profitability is staggering due to the growing pest issue. Many farmers, especially of minor crops like kaki, cannot obtain a big enough harvest to be profitable because of the entry of new pests due to the lack of border controls and the scarce availability of effective solutions caused by the ban on phytosanitary materials. Hence, they end up abandoning the crop," stated Pascual Prats, president of AEKAKI.
"The political class legislates to reduce food waste but suppresses the phytosanitary active materials essential to combat pests. Kaki is the paradigmatic example that the European Commission -with its incoherent and suicidal agricultural policies- is the main culprit behind food waste in the countryside," stressed Cristóbal Aguado, the president of AVA-ASAJA. Aguado also called for an "End to the war in Ukraine to recover the Russian market," which has been banned for Spanish kaki since 2014 with very negative consequences.
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During the event's inauguration, the vice president of AVA-ASAJA, Bernardo Ferrer, said there had been a shift from concern to scaremongering, and called for "a crash plan to control kaki pests in a highly concentrated production area."
The Minister of Agriculture, Miguel Barrachina, said the Ministry would allocate a record 36 million to plant health and an additional 19 million to strengthen the IVIA. "Not only has the EU had a resounding failure to prevent the entry of pests, it has also left the countryside's first-aid kit empty. The Ministry will continue working to investigate, obtain exceptional authorizations such as spinosad, and provide farmers with the necessary medicines."
"The IVIA is working hard to deal with kaki pests. In 10 years we've gone from not having any pests to being affected by five different species now (two cotonets, two whiteflies, and the new thrips), so we must find effective solutions while complying with European legislation," stated Alejandro Tena, head of the IVIA.
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