Réponse de Mahen Seeruttun à Dan Baboo

Le ministre de l’Agro-Industrie a répondu à une question du Whip de l’Opposition lors de la séance parlementaire du 17 Septembre 2019 sur la surutilisation des pesticides dans les plantations des légumes.

The Honourable Second Member for Vacoas and Floreal (Mr Baboo)

To ask the Honourable Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security –

Whether, in regard to pesticides, he will, for the benefit of the House, obtain from the relevant authorities, information as to if cases of overuse thereof in the cultivation of vegetables have been detected overt the past six months and ,if so, indicate the measures taken in relation thereto and to avert the recurrence thereof?

Madam Speaker,

I am informed that from January to August 2019, 477 samples have been collected at farm gate level, from markets, auction and super markets for pesticide residue analysis.

Out of these, four samples have been found to contain pesticides above the permissible level as follows:

(a) one sample of bean, collected in June 2019 from the Auction Market at Vacoas;

(b) one sample of chinese cabbage collected in July 2019 from a farm in Triolet; and

(c) one sample of cauliflower and spring onion collected in July 2019 from the Flacq Auction Market.

As per the provisions of the Use of Pesticides Act 2018, the four growers concerned have been retraced and have been issued with the applicable Improvement Notices.

I am informed that Extension Officers of the FAREI are ensuring close follow-up on these cases. The planters are being initiated to good agricultural practices and have been trained on how to apply pesticides so as to be able to respect the recommended dosage, to follow the frequency of application and pre-harvest intervals.

Subsequent tests have been carried out in the crops they are growing and these have revealed that there is no abuse of pesticides.

In addition, the sensitisation campaign initiated by my Ministry on the judicious use of pesticides is ongoing. Most of the planters registered with my Ministry have already been sensitised and trained on proper handling and use of pesticides.