In September of 2014 in Varda Ilias, took place a presentation with main topic ”’Integrate Pest Management (IPM) in strawberry crop with the use of beneficial insects / control of thrips and spidermites / implementation and experience from Greece and Mediterranean countries‘’.

Mr Fanis Papanikolopoulos organized the presentation by his own choice due to the successful releases of beneficial insects in strawberry crop trials to Georion facilities in the previous year. Mr Papanikolopoulos highlights the benefits that occurs, such as the reduce of chemical sprays and fruits free of residues.

At the presentation were presented the agronomist of technical department of ANTHESIS LTD and the director of the technical department of SYNGENTA BIOLINE SPAIN, Ms. Mercedes Lorca.

Mr. Kavouras Spiros, director of ANTHESIS technical department, in co-operation with Ms Mercedes Lorca, analyzed the advantages of the Integrate Pest Management, and presented programs of Integrate Strawberry Crops Protection, emphasized on the combination of all available methods: bombus, monitoring pheromones, beneficial insects, biofertilizers, chemicals products. The main purpose is minimizing the chemical residues and the produce of qualitative and quantitative products.

The general director of ANTHESIS Mr George Komianos, encouraged the producers to implement pilot – environmental – cooperation programs for the promotion and the release of beneficial insects. Furthermore, due to the Russian embargo, he mentioned that now is a big chance to find new markets in Western European, which are very dynamic but from the other hand are very competitive and demand qualitative products and free from chemicals residues. According to the Western European market standards, Integrate Crop Management is a fact and is applied successfully.