Anthony Keeling, deputy chairman of seed specialists Elsoms, told the foodmanufacture.co.uk website that 2015 mustard harvests could be ‘dramatically reduced’.
Crops may be left without adequate protection to pests, he said, particularly the flea beetle.
The European Commission’s two-year ban was imposed to protect pollinators, but the UK government and the NFU have criticised the move and the evidence behind it, and called for a more science-based approach.
NFU Vice President Guy Smith said: “We’re not convinced that the science against the use of neonicotinoids and their effect on bees is robust enough.”
Michael Sly, chairman of English Mustard Growers, commented that with no neonicotinoids, other less effective chemicals not used in decades would have to be used against some insect pests, and these chemicals don’t work as well as neonicotinoids on mustard’s biggest threat - the flea beetle.
Unilever currently sources half of its 40t mustard seed requirements for the Colman’s brand from UK growers.
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