The electronic system for monitoring the spraying of agricultural land is gaining more and more users

According to data from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA), as of 22 January 2021 a total of 5,000 users – beekeepers and agricultural producers – have registered in the Electronic Platform for Notification of Plant Protection, Disinfection and Disinsection Activities (EPNPDA). As of 1 March 2021, notifications will be carried out only through the electronic platform.

The electronic system for control of spraying of agricultural areas was announced at the end of 2020, with its main role being to notify apiary owners of upcoming treatments with plant protection products.

Agricultural producers are now obliged, through the new platform, to provide notification 72 hours before the start of their planned plant protection activities. After electronic registration and announcement of an upcoming spraying, the system automatically sends an electronic message (SMS) to the telephone and to the email address of the apiary owners. At the same time, the location of the respective plant protection operation will be visualised on the map in the platform.

Agricultural producers register with an email address and certificate number under Article 83 of the Plant Protection Act, available in the register of persons who hold such a certificate entitling them to use plant protection products of professional use category. For them, the requirement remains to enter a telephone number linked to the certificate under Article 83 upon registration.

Beekeepers register with an email address and apiary number from the certificate of registration of the livestock holding. After creating a profile on the platform, they must indicate the location of their apiaries. There are two options. On the map displayed on the screen, they must click on it to mark the location of the apiary. The other option is for the user, being physically at the location of the apiary with an appropriate GPS receiver – mobile phone or tablet – to position the location of the apiary as well. If there is more than one apiary, they must also be positioned on the map so that timely notification can be provided in case of treatments with plant protection products.

Registration and use of the platform are free of charge for all users who have an active email account.

Registration and use of the platform are free of charge for all users who have an active email account. 

Beekeepers and producers cultivating areas with agricultural crops must register in the new BFSA spraying notification system

As of 1 March 2021, notifications will be carried out only through the electronic platform.

It is advisable for producers and beekeepers to register in the electronic platform by 31 January 2021, but after this date the possibility for registration will not be discontinued. Registration of new users will be possible, including for newly registered agricultural producers, beekeepers and owners of mobile apiaries.

In the case of treatments in the period up to 28 February 2021, notification may be carried out under the existing procedure – through the mayor of the settlement, who announces and disseminates the information via local mass media or through EPNPDA.

User Manual

Interview with Radka Krasteva, Chief Expert at the Directorate "Plant Protection Products, Fertilisers and Control" of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency for Radio "Focus" on the topic.