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It was thought that glyphosate, a controversial herbicide, would eventually be banned, as President Macron had promised. Friday October 13, the 27 member states of the European Union still failed to reach an agreement. A new vote will take place in November.
A few days ago, Sébastien Berger weeded his plot by spraying a powerful chemical: glyphosate. “Within 15 days, three weeks, we will begin to have a plant that dries out, and we will obtain a plant that no longer has chlorophyll.” explains the farmer. Over the past three years, he has halved his glyphosate consumption thanks to mechanical weeding. An effective supplement, but according to him it is impossible to deprive yourself of the powerful herbicide.
Nearly 7,800 tonnes sold in France in 2021
Sébastien Berger spreads one liter of diluted herbicide per hectare of crop. Despite the dangerousness of the product, he continues to use the molecule to ensure his harvests, due to a lack of an effective alternative. A few kilometers away, for 12 years, Damien Savoyant also sprayed glyphosate on his fields.
In 2016, he gave up chemicals and converted to organic farming. Now he relies only on mechanical tools to weed. Glyphosate remains the most used herbicide in France. In 2021, nearly 7,800 tonnes were sold nationally.