EU body: Potassium phosphonate not suitable for organic viticulture

The “Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production” (EGTOP) of the EU Commission recommends not allowing potassium phosphonate as a plant protection product in organic viticulture. Thus, it has rejected the application submitted by Germany and other EU member states.

The group consisted of ten international experts. They discussed the arguments for and against the approval of potassium phosphonate in organic viticulture. For the scientists, potassium phosphonate can effectively complement copper fungicides and thus secure grape yields even under high disease pressure. Moreover, it occurs in nature and is largely harmless to humans and animals. However, the arguments against approval include its synthetic production and the yet unexplored effects on the environment. Another problem is that potassium phosphonate leads to residues of phosphonic acid in grapes, wine, and other grape products. However, phosphonic acid can also indicate the use of other plant protection products that are not permitted in organic viticulture. Due to the unclear origin of the degradation product, affected wines could lose their organic certification.

Eight experts therefore concluded: “The use of potassium phosphonate is not in line with the objectives and principles of organic production.” This might “impact the credibility of organic production,” states the final report. One group member voted for approval, while another abstained.

The expert group confirmed its recommendations from 2014 and 2019 with its current recommendation. In 2024, Germany had again applied for approval in accordance with the demands of the German Winegrowers’ Association (DWV) and the Association of Organic Food Industry (BÖLW). The applicants argued that solely copper-containing plant protection products were hardly sufficient against downy mildew, especially as heavy rainfall and continuous rain were becoming more frequent due to climate change.

(cs)