Türkiye-Georgia: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Update
The hazelnuts round table at the INC Congress in Mallorca featured interesting updates on efforts in Türkiye and Georgia to mitigate the threat of the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB).
Native to Asia, the BMSB was first detected in Türkiye around 2017–2018 and was initially confined to the Rize and Artvin regions. Since then, it has spread steadily and now affects all of the country’s hazelnut-growing areas. Despite this broad distribution, the population density remains highly variable, even between towns within the same province. The pest poses a serious risk not only to hazelnuts but also to a range of other crops, making its control a national agricultural priority.
In response to the growing threat, the Turkish government approved the use of biological control measures in 2023. Central to this strategy is the deployment of the samurai wasp (Trissolcus japonicus), a natural enemy of BMSB. This initiative has been supported by state funding and technical cooperation with Italian researchers. By 2024, about 207,000 samurai wasps were released in the fields across 33 provinces, with plans to release a total of one million in 2025. To support these efforts, four laboratories —including facilities in Samsun, Giresun, and Ankara— are actively engaged in breeding the wasps.
Monitoring activities have also been expanded to track and contain the spread of BMSB. In 2024, approximately 7,000 pheromone traps were deployed, and similar efforts will continue in 2025, including in regions currently uninfested but at risk.
In addition to biological and monitoring measures, mechanical and chemical controls are being used. From September to April, during the overwintering period, government authorities encourage mechanical control through the collection and destruction of adult bugs in homes, warehouses, and other overwintering sites. This practice is commonly implemented by farmers and supported through public awareness campaigns.
Chemical control is also being pursued, especially during the overwintering period. In some provinces, government agencies and farmer unions have coordinated spraying efforts in homes and storage areas using registered biocides. However, the uneven adoption of these practices among the estimated 500,000 registered growers remains a key challenge.
As a result, 2025 is viewed as a pivotal year in determining whether current strategies, particularly biological control with samurai wasps and coordinated monitoring and spraying efforts, can successfully contain and mitigate the impact of BMSB on Türkiye’s hazelnut sector.
In Georgia, the hazelnut industry has grappled with the challenge of the BMSB since 2016. Initially perceived as a one-off issue, the infestation persisted, causing declining yields year after year. Unprepared and lacking experience, the industry suffered particularly in 2018. In response, the Georgian government, with support from USAID, initiated coordinated pest control efforts in 2017. Despite initial setbacks, consistent annual spraying programs have begun to yield positive results. The BMSB reproduces rapidly —each adult can produce up to 200 offspring. Today, growers start treatments as early as February.
Australia: New Industry Levy Rate on Macadamias to Address Varroa Mite
The rate of Australia’s macadamia industry levy to invest in research, development, and marketing has been changed this year to incorporate the industry’s contribution to managing the varroa mite response. The statutory levy has been set at AU$0.26/kg of dried macadamia kernel, and is allocated as follows:
- Marketing: AU$0.1601/kg
- Research and development: AU$0.0857/kg
- National residue testing: AU$0.0063/kg
- Emergency Plant Pest (Biosecurity) Response: AU$0.0079/kg
EU: Delayed Application of Due Diligence and Sustainability Reporting Rules Enters Into Force
On April 16, 2025, a Directive delaying the application of certain due diligence and corporate sustainability reporting requirements was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This so-called “Stop-the-Clock” Directive postpones the dates of application of certain corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence requirements, as well as the transposition deadline of the due diligence provisions. It forms part of the “Omnibus I” package adopted by the Commission in late February 2025 to simplify EU legislation in the field of sustainability.
Specifically, this Directive postpones:
- by two years the entry into application of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements for large companies that have not yet started reporting, as well as listed SMEs, and
- by one year the transposition deadline and the first phase of the application (covering the largest companies) of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
These delays are intended to give the European Parliament and Council time to agree on substantive changes to the CSRD and CSDDD, also proposed by the Commission as part of the “Omnibus I” package.
Spain: New Food Waste Prevention Law
Spain has passed a new law on food waste prevention. Effective as of April 1, 2025, the law aims to reduce food waste through mandatory measures across the food supply chain.
Key provisions:
- Food sector businesses must implement waste prevention plans
- Mandatory hierarchy for surplus food:
- Human consumption through donation to food banks or transformation
- Animal feed or industrial byproducts
- Composting, biogas or fuel production
Specific sector requirements:
- Restaurants must provide take-home containers at no extra cost
- Retailers must promote discounted sales of near-expiry items
- Producers must implement waste-reduction practices
Exemptions include businesses with fewer than 10 employees, small farms, and establishments under 1,300m². Companies have until April 2026 to comply with prevention plan requirements.