RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE INSPECTION SCHEMES OF FLOWER BULBS

Abstract

In 1921 six Narcissus growers took the initiative to start an inspection service to perform field inspection on stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) in Narcissus. From the mid 40’s of the 20 th century the inspection programs on quarantine organisms for the different crops were extended with an inspection on quality aspects. This was on request of the growers of flower bulbs. The aim of these quality inspections was and is to improve the quality of the grown flower bulbs. The system of quality inspections, with its standards, exists for some crops for more than 50 years. In 1980 the system of voluntary quality inspections has been changed into an obligatory system. Due to the quality of the flower bulbs, depending on the crop 97 up to 99% of the lots meet the standards of the Flower bulb Inspection Service (BKD), and due to the recent change of the financing of the inspections, there is discussion about the obligatory quality inspections. The BKD states that the grower must take more responsibility in the quality of lots and growers want to have more influence on the inspections by the BKD. Also questions have been raised on the necessity of the intensive inspection programs, because yearly only 1-3% of the inspected lots, depending on the crop, is rejected by the BKD. In the coming years the BKD will develop a system with emphasis on controlling activities of the growers and less on the physical inspections of planted lots. On the other hand various important importing countries of flower bulbs demand additional regulation or specific demands, for instance China and the United States of America. This will lead to the development of special certification schemes for various crops with low tolerances for especially viruses and special programs to meet these low tolerances. Not only the health of a crop will be important, but also under what conditions it has been grown and how the tracking and tracing is safeguarded.