The Dutch Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (Ctgb) has decided to withdraw authorisation for Pitcher, a fungicide made by Adama that contains fludioxonil. The decision followed a court ruling that the product should not have been admitted to the market. Its use will be prohibited from May 2027. The Ctgb said the withdrawal concerns Pitcher specifically and that it is studying what the ruling means for other products containing fludioxonil.

According to the account, about 21,000 kilograms of fludioxonil are used annually in the Netherlands, including for treating bulbs and tubers and in the cultivation of plants and floristry crops. The environmental organisation Pesticide Action Network brought the case and said the substance is also present as a residue on fruit and vegetables. PAN said 23 other pesticides containing fludioxonil are used in the Netherlands. Adama said it was not directly involved in the case and would accept the decision.