Pesticide blitz targets farms
25/9/2007 9:34
China is going all out in a nationwide agricultural swoop to halt the use
of banned pesticides and limit animal feed additives and
fertilizers.
Since a crackdown was launched last month 10 people have
been arrested, 95 companies without appropriate licenses closed, and the
business licenses of another six firms revoked.
The figures were released
yesterday by Gao Hongbin, vice minister of agriculture.
The Ministry of
Agriculture is "targeting 100 percent surveillance of large- and medium-sized
cities" in the hunt for illegal pesticides and feed additives, Gao told a press
conference in Beijing.
Gao said authorities are also targeting the
illegal production, sale and application of five types of pesticides.
The
ministry was attaching great importance to agricultural inspections. There will
also be random checks for pesticide residue in farm produce.
However, Gao
stressed that offenders are in the minority.
"More than 93 percent of the
vegetables are safe in terms of pesticide residue and more than 98 percent of
meat products are up to scratch concerning the remains of clenobuterol
hydrochloride," Gao said.
Clenobuterol hydrochloride is a
muscle-developing drug some farmers feed to pigs before selling them. It has
been abolished due to side effects, including human-heart problems.
The
quality of Chinese farm produce has been improving over the years, Gao
said.
The five types of highly toxic pesticides on the banned list
include methamidophos and parathion.
"We aim to confiscate and destroy
all toxic pesticides," he said. "We also aim to bring all the wholesale markets
in the large and medium-sized cities under quality surveillance."
He said
479, or 71 percent, of the 676 wholesale markets in cities were being
monitored.
Xinhua/China Daily
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