Tough action urged against pesticide use in fruits: BT-RCB Poll
View(s):Sri Lankans in a new BT-RCB poll this week are urging the Government to bring in stiffer penalties and stronger safeguards against the use of pesticides in local and imported fruits which have long term ramifications on the health of individuals.
Pesticides in fruits are reflected in the increasing number of cancer cases, gastric problems and throat infections, one respondent said.
“The Government should regularly check the quality of fruits and prosecute those with heavy penalties who are importing, producing or selling fruits with a high concentration of pesticides,” said another respondent. The poll, undertaken jointly by the Business Times and research partner, Research Consultancy Bureau, saw a whopping 100 per cent of the respondents (in the RCB street poll) concluding that pesticides are used in both local and imported fruits. The poll was undertaken at the request of readers concerned at the overuse of pesticides in local and imported food.
RCB conducted 350 street interviews while the BT had an equal number of respondents from its email poll. Results of the poll are shown in the graphic.
There were many comments received during the poll. Here is a sample of those received:
- Strict checks need to be made to prevent use of pesticides in fruits.
- Need for tough, punitive action to eliminate this problem. Impose very heavy fines.
- Fruits are an integral part of our diet, especially children. For infants, the first ‘non milk’ food is fruit juices. I wish the authorities would control and monitor pesticide usage.
- Useful for all media print/radio and TV to promote/allocate free time/space to create awareness campaigns about the harmful effects of indiscriminate use of chemicals, fungicides, pesticides, etc in agriculture.
* Responsibility of the State to conduct random checks regularly.
* There are alternates to pesticides. There is plenty of research on this in India and other countries with good results. It is important to get out of the worldwide agro-chemicals mafia.
* Initiate legal action on errant growers who use pesticides over the limit
* Why is it there no quality control on import of fruits/vegetables/milk powder, etc and for the local market random checks by the respective Municipal /Provincial/Pradesha Sabas? There may half a dozen institutions state responsible for local food production and food imports but we the public is unaware as to the authority responsible for food safety and how it is implemented and monitored.
· The community response for most of these issues is very poor although our society scores high on the literacy rate. In this context the authorities have taken the public to be an ignorant lot.
* National pesticide control is ineffective in the face of big agri-business conglomerates.
• Fruit imports need to be properly monitored on import dates, expiry dates, etc and tested for (artificial) colour.
• My comment is not directly on the question, but it comes to my mind what a friend told me few days back, “You must now think of migrating, not to find a good job, but to eat some good vegetables and fruits at least free from the accepted pesticide levels used for such food and live free from cancer etc…”
• This is one area where the NGOs and the health sector can play a vital role along with the politicians (both the government and opposition).
• The media can play a big role as well and we applaud you for holding such a poll to raise awareness of these issues.
• The health of the people is important and in this context stringent checks must be made regularly regarding pesticides in all fruits.
* Like everything else in this country it’s (situation regarding fruits) is rotten.
* Thanks for seeking public perceptions on consumer products. But my personal understanding is that, as ordinary consumers, we are not competent to answer your questions. Our answers may some time lead to wrong assumptions in a survey, as ours could be mere guessing. I am sure no consumer would have done any scientific testing (as to the level of pesticides in fruits) to provide right answers. Also the issue as I know is not about using pesticides in cultivation, but using unknown and excessive quantities in cultivation. Medical doctors are (also) not always a credible source to rely upon. They often play for MNCs and in our society, they have taken a very sectarian, Sinhala patriotic stand and on such politics, opposed foreign trade and exportations. Therefore we need very credible scientific reporting before taking decisions. Yes, because fruits grown here or abroad, are an essential part of the diet.
| Comments from RCB street interviews
- Massive quantity of pesticides used in cultivations during the period from planting to harvesting. |