Unscientific report jeopardises agro-chemical imports

Gamini WARUSHAMANA

The controversial report presented by a group of scientists of the Kelaniya University on the arsenic content in rice and its affinity to the high incidence of kidney diseases in several areas in the Dry Zone has jeopardised essential agro-chemical imports. This would adversely affect the Maha season paddy cultivation, said agro-chemical importers.

Croplife, the organisation representing agro-chemical importers said that this unscientific report has misled the public as well as influential groups. As a consequence of this report large stocks of pesticides and weedicides imported are now held at Sri Lanka Customs. Unless this mess created by them comes to an end, the agriculture sector will be affected, they said.

Croplife officials said that they have come to their conclusions after a dialogue with the gods as they have said, and not by acceptable scientific research. Therefore they totally reject the contents of the report.

Agro-chemicals are manufactured under WHO and WFO guidelines and accepted international standards. Nowhere in the world are agro-chemicals produced with arsenic as an active ingredient. On the other hand, pesticides with arsenic as an active ingredient cannot be imported into Sri Lanka under the Control of Pesticides Act, No.33 of 1980 and amended in 1994. The import of pesticides is controlled by the Registrar of Pesticides and all imports are tested to ensure that they meet the standards required by the country, they said.

The annual demand for pesticides in the country is around 7,000 tonnes and it takes three months to receive stocks after placing an order. Therefore, changes in the supply chain would adversely affect the agriculture sector and the whole economy.

Croplife accepted that arsenic was found in small quantities in a few pesticide samples tested by the Industrial Technology Institute. However, these levels are much lower than the permissible levels of arsenic established by the SLSI for food items such as biscuits, chocolates, jam and cordial which are directly consumed.

Arsenic can be added into these food items or even to pesticides through other ingredients or water. This unscientific report has grossly exaggerated the facts. As a result of excessive publicity, a shipment of our rice exported to Turkey is held up on suspicion of containing arsenic. This kind of false campaign will damage the government's effort to increase rice consumption against wheat flour consumption.

The report released by scientists led by Prof. Nalin Silva said that chronic kidney diseases prevalent in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa districts and Dehiattakandiya areas is a result of the arsenic content in rice.

Arsenic has come into rice from pesticides applied to paddy fields. They have further claimed that in 28 pesticides arsenic and mercury were available in excessive amounts, a spokesman for Croplife said.