Farmers are being urged to be ultra-vigilant for illegal plant protection products as part of a new anti-counterfeiting campaign, launched at the British Crop Protection Council’s Crop Science and Technology Exhibition in Glasgow last week.

According to Rocky Rowe, anti-counterfeiting project manager with the European Crop Protection Association, the problem is escalating, with conservative estimates suggesting 5-7% of Europe’s plant protection products are illegal or counterfeit, amounting to sales worth €500m (£340m).

“If a farmer thinks there is something dodgy about a product he is probably right and he should report any illegal sales or anything arousing suspicion to the authorities and the companies which supplied them,” said Mr Rowe.

It is believed that 3-4% of plant protection products in the UK are illegal and Asda’s Simon Press said the retail giant would take a very tough line on any suppliers found to be using counterfeit products.