Tomato Virus Threatens Crops in Morocco and Europe, Raising Food Safety Concerns

The tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBREV). This is the name of the virus currently affecting countries close to France and major tomato producers such as Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece or Morocco, reports La Dépêche. According to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), ToBREV is a virus impacting tomato plants, but also peppers, chili peppers and potentially eggplants.

Speaking on the subject, Gilles Bertrandias, director of Paysans de Rougeline in Marmande (47), said that this virus, known since 2014-2015, was first detected in Jordan and Israel. "Cases are now being reported in the Netherlands, Germany, Sicily and Morocco. But for now, no cases have been detected in France," he specifies. According to him, this virus only attacks plants and therefore poses no danger to humans.

As for its symptoms, Philippe Reignault, director of the plant health laboratory and director of plant health at ANSES, explains that the leaves show discoloration, the fruits have a very disturbed maturation, their size and number are reduced and the surface has a rough appearance. The virus spreads through simple physical contact between an infected plant or material and a healthy plant, he adds.

For now, "there is no treatment to counter this virus. The only solution is to uproot the plants, burn them and wait several months before replanting," advises ANSES.