Two years for consumption of imported pesticides
The government has banned the import and sale of 3 types of pesticides. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has banned the import and sale of Paraquat/Paraquat Dichloride, Chlorpyrifos and Phorate by publishing a notification in the gazette.
This decision was taken by the Pesticide Management Committee meeting held on June 25. The decision was made by the Pesticide Management Committee using the authority given by section 22 of the Pesticide Management Act 2076. About 5 months after the decision of the
committee, a notification has been published in the gazette. Paraquat/paraquat dichloride belongs to the group of herbicides. Chlorpyrifos belongs to the insecticide group. Phorate belongs to the group of insecticides. Production, synthesis, export and import of paraquat/paraquat dichloride and chlorpyrifos pesticides have been banned from the date of publication in the gazette.
Two years have been set for the consumption of pesticides that have been introduced in Nepal before the publication of the notice. No time has been given to Foret. Nepal Public Health and Environment Promotion Center has said that it was decided to ban the foret on June 20, 2072. Ramcharitra Sah, Executive Director of the Center and Environmental Scientist, said that the decision to ban pesticides is welcome.
Many farmers have suffered from these pesticides. Farmers do not have enough training in the use of pesticides," he said. "These pesticides have been banned in the world. But in Nepal they were legally importing and selling, with the decision to ban it should be fully implemented.'
Apart from these, he says that other very dangerous pesticides should also be banned. According to the experts, vegetables with excessive pesticide use cause immediate headache, vomiting, nausea, hand tremors, and fainting. Dangerous pesticides are said to cause long-term problems such as cancer, lameness, miscarriage, and liver failure.
When pesticides are used, the first hit is the farmer. But the farmers are not trained in pesticide use. Due to lack of sufficient knowledge and skills, illegal imports also occur due to open borders. This is why banned pesticides are also imported. But there is no regulation from government agencies. Its responsibility is Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Center.
According to the center, the import of pesticides has doubled in 6 years. In the financial year 2074/75, 635,721 kg of pesticides were imported. In 079/80, the import volume increased to 11 lakh 83 thousand 741 kg. Talking about the amount, pesticides worth 1 billion 69 crore 63 lakh rupees were imported in the last financial year alone. This amount is the quantity legally imported. It also comes in illegally.
350 companies have been registered to import pesticides. There are more than 19 thousand distributors. Through those distributors, the pesticide has reached the farmer's field through Agrovet. But farmers do not have enough knowledge about the method of application. Pesticides used indiscriminately on vegetables, fruits and grains have reached consumers' kitchens.
7 types of pesticides are mainly imported in the country. They include insecticides, insecticides, bactericides, weed killers, insecticides, rodenticides, and biological pesticides. There are hundreds of pesticides under it.
