The government has banned the use of paraquat and insecticide, imidacloprid from January 1st, 2020.
While speaking at the Lakena Agricultural Station, Minister for Agriculture, Doctor Mahendra Reddy says the concerns about these chemicals were brought to the Ministry over a decade ago.
He says since then, the Ministry has been doing its own research.
Doctor Reddy says for the last two decades, a lot of people have raised the issue about the toxicity of paraquat. He says they have now decided to ban the weedicide containing paraquat.
He says their concern is also the negative effect on agriculture itself and on the farmers.
Doctor Reddy says that it has been found that the chemical has health effects on where it contacts your body. He says in the longer run, a small dosage of paraquat will be disastrous for a person.
Research also shows that paraquat residue in the soil can stay for more than 100 days and it also contaminates water sources like wells and boreholes.
Doctor Reddy also says that paraquat remains on the plants and if you consume that particular vegetable, then you are consuming that dangerous chemical.
He says the entire European Union and even Samoa have banned paraquat.
Doctor Reddy says there are alternatives and farmers should start moving to those chemicals now.
He says they have also received a submission from the Fiji Beekeepers Association that imidacloprid also has a negative effect on the population of bees. Doctor Reddy says the government is promoting bee farming and it does not want bee colonies to be killed.
The Minister for Agriculture says it has been proven that this chemical has been contributing towards the reduction of the colony of bees. The residue of this chemical has also been found in honey.
Doctor Reddy says we cannot produce honey with this chemical and the entire EU countries have banned the usage of this insecticide.
From 1st of January, 2020, there will be no importation, sale or use of these chemicals.
The importers of the chemicals have been informed about this decision.
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