Pesticide kills farmer,
poisons 154 in Colombia
One farmer was killed
and 154 others were
poisoned on Friday by
Endosulfan pesticide
used to protect coffee
and banana crops in the
central western Quindio
province of Colombia,
local health officials
said.
Jose Arias, Health
Sector Institute
representative of that
area, said local farmers
continue using
Endosulfan even though
this dangerous pesticide
has been banned since
2001.
"It is possible that the
farmers are not
following the correct
instructions," Arias
said. According to him,
the farmers have not
been using masks and
other protective
equipment while using
the lethal pesticide.
Quindio, with 12
municipalities, is one
of Colombia's main
coffee-producing and
exporting regions.
Coffee crops are
threatened by an insect
called broca (drill)
because it drills holes
in the coffee fruit, and
multiplies when the
weather is hot. Farmers
use Endosulfan to kill
the insect.
Colombia exports some
560,000 tons of coffee
worldwide annually.
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