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INSIDECOSTARICA.COM
| COSTA RICA
NEWS
| Monday
21 February 2011 |
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Costa
Rica
With
Increased
Use of
Pesticides
In The
World
A group
of
environmentalists
have
deployed
actions
against
the use
of
pesticides
in Costa
Rica,
with
publicity
events
in the
local
agricultural
(famers)
markets
in
Zaporta
and
Hatillo,
held
this
Sunday.
According
to
studies
by the
Regional
de
Estudios
en
Sustancias
Tóxicas
(IRET) -
Institute
for
Studies
on Toxic
Substances,
shows
that the
use of
agrochemicals
has
increased
without
increasing
the
agricultural
areas.
In other
words,
more
chemicals
in the
same
meal,
said
Fabrián
Pacheco
and
Gabriela
Cob,
spokespersons
for the
environmentalists.
The two
indicated
that the
amount
of
imported
pesticides
has
increased
by 340%
in the
last 30
years.
In
total,
the
country
imported
over
184.817
tonnes
of
pesticide
from
1977 to
2006.
All this
went to
the
fields
where
our food
is
grown,
they
said.
They
said
therefore
they
have
developed
the
campaign
"PAREN
DE
FUMIGAR"
(STOP
Spraying),
which
provides
information
for both
producers
and
consumers
to
educate,
raise
awareness
and
ultimately
reduce
the
levels
of
pesticides
in our
food.
Sunday's
action
was
accompanied
by
posters,
percussion
and even
elements
of
impact
as a
colourful
model of
a
sprayer
airplane.
This is
one of
several
forms of
activities
to
develop
this
campaign
and will
be
visiting
various
agricultural
fairs in
the
country.
Every
Saturday
and
Sunday
agricultural
fairs
are held
in all
communities
across
Costa
Rica, as
producers
bring
their
crops
directly
to the
public.
In San
José a
permanent
agricultural
market
is held
every
day, in
the wee
hours of
the
morning
for
local
vendors
to buy
directly
from the
producers.
Many
consumers
prefer
the
agricultural
fairs to
the
supermarkets
to buy
their
fruits
and
vegetables,
one for
the
lower
price
and
second
for the
freshness
of the
product.
According
to
Estado
de la
Nación
(The
State of
the
Nation)
report
in 2009,
Costa
Rica
imported
over 300
tons of
methyl
bromide
formulations
- a
substance
regulated
by the
Montreal
Protocol
which
contributes
to the
destruction
of the
ozone
layer of
the
earth.
Also
imported
were two
highly
toxic
substances
regulated
by the
Rotterdam
Convention.
The crop
with
greater
use of
pesticides
is the
melon,
followed
by
ornamental
plants,
tomatoes,
potatoes,
pineapple
and
sugar
cane.
The
pineapple
still
tops the
list of
environmental
complaints
in the
country.
In
response,
the
Ministerio
de
Agricultura
y
Ganaderia
(MAG)
published
a manual
of good
practice
obligatory
for
pineapple
producers.
What
can we
do as
consumers?
-
Although
washing
does not
eliminate
from
food
100% of
the
poison
applied
it is a
good
practice
- Demand
organic
food or
foods
with low
levels
of
pesticide
use
- Attend
fairs
and
markets
of
products
without
poison
(like in
Aranjuez,
San
Cayetano
and
Escazú,
for
example).
- Start
a home
garden.
Small
scale
organic
farming
has
proved
very
efficient
- Do not
be so
demanding
on the
appearance
of
products.
The
"perfect"
vegetable
is often
the most
fumigated.
- Demand
that the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and the
Ministry
of
Health
ban red
label
pesticides
and more
toxic (paraquat,
endosulfan,
methomyl,
terbufos,
methamidophos,
phorate,
malathion,
carbofuran,
ethoprophos,
aldicarb,
chlorpyrifos
and
methyl
bromide)
According
to the
World
Resources
Institute
(WRI)
the
world
champions
of
pesticide
use are:
1. Costa
Rica
2.
Colombia
3.
Holland
4.
Ecuador
5.
Portugal
6.
France
7.
Greece
8.
Uruguay
9.
Suriname
10.
Germany
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Costa Rica's Daily English News
Source
Apdo. 2133-1000, San José, Costa
Rica
Tel: (506) 2231 3205 / (506) 8399
9642
Fax: (506) 2232 6337
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