The Government’s deputy delegate in A Coruña, María Rivas, recalled, on International Plant Health Day, that bringing seeds, flowers, fruits, vegetables or exotic plants from other countries and introducing them to ours poses a serious risk to indigenous plant health and can trigger devastating economic and environmental consequences.” He did so during a visit to the customs area of the airport of Alvedro, in A Coruña. The deputy delegate was accompanied by the director of the airport of A Coruña, Joan Ibáñez; by the head technician of Customs Management and Special Taxes of A Coruña, Juan José Martínez; by the Director of the area of Agriculture and Fisheries in Galicia, Ana Tubío; and by different workers of the Civil Guard at the airport.
During the meeting, the deputy delegate took the opportunity to congratulate the Civil Guard, all the customs workers, as well as those of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who, through a joint work, stop the pests and urge the citizens to comply with the Plant Health Regulation, which guarantees an adequate level of phytosanitary safety for those vegetables, plant products and food from other European countries.
Plants make up 80% of the food consumed and besides being vital for air regeneration, they also feed livestock. “The fact that our vegetables are sick has a direct impact on agricultural yields and, as a result, on the availability of food for citizens and on accessibility for consumers. Healthy plants translate into healthy foods and a sustainable future,” explained Rivas.
The introduction of these phytosanitary hazards has a negative impact on public health, the environment and the economy. “An example of this type of impact was the introduction of the Guatemalan moth in Galicia in recent years, which meant that potatoes could not be planted in many municipalities in Galicia,” said the deputy delegate, urging the citizens to be responsible and follow the rules transferred by the Ministry.
Plant Health
In Plant Health, the competences at national level fall to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which, in collaboration with the Customs Tax Department, supervises the personal luggage of passengers coming from territory outside the European Union. These checks are carried out in facilities approved for this purpose, such as Border Control Posts (PCF).
The passenger traffic manifested itself as a very relevant point of action to preserve plant health and avoid the introduction of pests, invasive species, and other threats. In Galicia, 6,039 dossiers of goods were made in 2024, which, for their introduction into the territory of the European Union or for export to third countries, require phytosanitary control to preserve plant health.
In the airports of A Coruña, last year 308 minutes were issued (167 in Alvedro and 141 in Santiago de Compostela) and, so far this year, 130 (73 in Alvedro and 57 in Santiago de Compostela). Exceeding in 2024 the 2,000 kg of material intervened and 900 kg in this first semester.
The origin of these seizures is mainly from Peru and Senegal and the Dominican Republic.
#PlantHealth4Life edition
In this regard, the subdelegate stressed the importance of border initiatives such as #PlantHealth4Life, promoted by the European Union and with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as a collaborating entity in Spain. The plan, which has the participation of 32 countries (26 of the European Union and five in the pre-accession phase and Switzerland), seeks to protect plant health through the participation and collaboration of citizens. “Inviting reflection, sharing knowledge and inspiring the neighborhood to join this collective effort to safeguard ecosystems and economies,” said the subdelegate.
#PlantHealth4Life kicks off today, coinciding with International Plant Health Day and aiming to reach a universal audience. Thus, both the EU and the Ministry make available to citizens different resources in which to discover the importance of protecting biodiversity. “We must be clear that by protecting plants we protect life,” Rivas added.
#PlantHealth4Life WEBSITE