The ONSSA/FSNO (National Food Safety Office) has granted a sales authorization for the product PMV®-01, a vaccine which protects against the pepino mosaic virus infections (PepMV). The authorization holder is the firm Biobetter Morocco, a company which distributes biological control and pollination products in Morocco. For the Moroccan tomato growers, this decision opened a new way towards an effective solution against the considerable losses in yield and quality caused by this virus, already present in Morocco.
Karim Jerate, managing director of Biobetter Morocco: "Tomato is a key crop in the Souss. We have known for several years the importance of PepMV for the Moroccan growers. With its symptoms of fruit discoloration, it is responsible for 15 to 30% of yield losses in exports, particularly during the winter season which is a determining factor for profitability."
"We have reached an exclusive distribution agreement with the Belgian company De Ceuster Meststoffen (DCM) who developed this vaccine in collaboration with research partners. The vaccine has been provisionally authorized in Belgium since 2011 and in the Netherlands since 2012. Growers have benefited from excellent results in term of quality and production. The Moroccan growers will appreciate being at the forefront of accessing it. Our company has set up trials in Morocco in 2014. Those have been very convincing," explains Karim Jerate.
"The PMV®-01 product application must be part of a well-defined vaccination strategy. The vaccination has to be done following a precise protocol. The use of the vaccine must be accompanied by rigorous molecular analyses. It requires a good hygiene management of the crop," underlines Julien Mourrut Salesse. Julien is the technical coordinator of the company Biobest Belgium, responsible for Morocco, one of Biobetter Morocco's actors. He was deeply involved in the trials - in permanent link with the DCM team - in order to insure that the vaccination strategy would be perfectly adapted to local conditions. What can the Moroccan producer expect of the product's commercial availability? Karim Jerate: "Biobetter Morocco is going to do all it can to insure the success of the vaccination among Moroccan growers. We will inform and support our customers to achieve a perfect implementation of the vaccination strategy as part of a good integrated pest management. Given time constraints, the treated areas will remain limited for the 2015 season. Our technical team is also available for the growers who still need to prepare for the technical requirements of a vaccination in 2016. In addition to tailored support, information sessions for interested growers will be organized during 2016."
Biobetter Morocco SARL (Ltd) is the commercial subsidiary of the Biobest group in Morocco. It sells and distributes Biobest products in Morocco. It was founded in 2012 to meet the expectations of the Moroccan growers in terms of monitoring support and close partnership. Biobetter Morocco has invested in a solid and competent team composed of a sales manager, sales engineers and product development engineers. The company markets a portfolio of solutions and quality eco-biological products. It helps the grower to profitably produce a healthy product that respects our environment.
For more information, please contact Karim Jerate (karim.jerate@biobest.co.ma).