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Availability of spurious pesticides common in
Sindh
HYDERABAD (April 05 2004): Marketing of
sub-standard and spurious pesticides is a common
phenomenon in Sindh, which could be judged by the
fact that during the last three months 242
pesticides' samples were collected from all over
the province and after laboratory analysis 24 of
them were found unfit.
After the devolution of agriculture extension
services, the marketing of sub-standard and
pesticide has gained alarming proportions
adversely affecting the fertility of the soil,
damaging health of farming community and polluting
environment.
The main objective of the devolution was that
these type of matters might be attended at the
local level promptly and efficiently by the
elected representatives, who were fully conversant
with the problems being confronted by the people,
but they have miserably failed to combat the
menace and till date not a single company involved
in marketing of sub-standard and spurious
pesticides have been penalised.
Sindh consumed pesticides amounted to Rs 2041.11
million annually of which cotton crop alone
consumed pesticides worth Rs 1062.82 million. This
led to mush room growth of pesticides companies in
the province and with the passage of time their
number is on the rise.
Women farm workers are the worst victims of
massive consumption of pesticide by growers. A
study carried out on women cotton pickers revealed
many pesticides poisoning incident. No less than
68 percent pickers experienced sickness with
average duration of 10 days out of 68 picking
days.
In a cotton-growing district of upper Sindh, no
less than 19812 persons were reported sick during
the cotton season of which 3566 persons were
hospitalised. The treatment cost of sickness was
around Rs 4 million while the work loss cost
around Rs 8.33 million.
The soil scientists have emphasised the need for
control on pesticides availability and use,
knowledge about the persistence of their residues
in soil, plant and water, which is required in
most circumstances because of their toxic effects
on human health and the natural environment.
They have also suggested further amendments in
Agriculture Pesticide Ordinance to streamline
pesticide import, formulation, quality control,
sale and uses by the federal government.
They recommended monitoring of pesticides residues
in fruits, vegetables, food, crops even in cotton
fibre keeping in view the WTO scenario.
Meanwhile, the district governments are aware of
the whole situation in the interest of their own
constituency and have launched a campaign against
the pesticides companies indulged in marketing of
sub-standard and spurious pesticides in the
province.
Courtesy Business Recorder |
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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