Glyphosate ban impacted 60% of Agrochemical sale volumes of CPC
The country’s state owned fuel utility, country’s largest importer Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC’s) has imported 508,000 litres of Glyphosate to the tune of over US $ 171,880 or over Rs. 24.7 million (at US $ 1 at Rs. 144.06 in value as at the end of 2015), a state ministry report reveal. Further CPC’s agrochemical business has faced the worst ever crisis in its history after the banning of products namely Dimethoate, Carberry, Chlorpyriofs, Carbofuran, 3-4 DPA, Glyphosate during year 2015 by the government, the recent annual review of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development points out.
Accordingly the above banned products, especially Glyphosate, had contributed to about 60% volume and recorded highest turnover of the Agrochemicals sector, the report highlights.
“This situation has been further deteriorated due to the absence of reputed suppliers of agrochemicals with whom CPC has tied up exclusively” the report notes adding that further, steps have been taken to introduce several new products during year 2016 namely, Abamactine, Pretiachlor and Tebuconazole and CPC could expect growth in this sector after introduction of the said new products.
During the year 2015, 2016 CPC had imported Glyphosate to the tune of US $ 171,880 amounting to 508,000 litres whilst no local purchases had been made from the important amount according to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development.
The Ministry report also notes that action has been taken to register more new products with relevant authorities for the year 2017. The quantity of agrochemicals imported during the period from 2015 to 2017 is shown in Table below.
Sri Lanka’s present Government has lifted the ban on glyphosate in Mid-July 2018 for all crops throughout the country. The ban was lifted through a gazette issued by the Registrar of Pesticides in a gazette notification dated July 11, 2018. Registrar Dr. J.A. Sumith that time on the advice of the Pesticides Technical and Advisory Committee, he was rescinding the order made under Section 11 of the Control of Pesticides Act No.33 of 1980 and published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 1937/ 35 of October 23, 2015. The 2015 gazette cancelled every licence issued in respect of pesticides containing the chemical Glyphosate. While the ban is being lifted across the board, Dr Sumith had told reporters a fresh gazette would have to be issued in the coming days since the Cabinet had only approved the use of glyphosate for tea and rubber.
Sri Lanka’s present Government that came in to power after 8th January 2015 imposed the Glyphosate ban in 2015 over fears that this chemical was one of the causes of the kidney disease epidemic in the North-Central Province and elsewhere, and ‘Glyphosate Ban’ was also a major campaign marketing slogan of the government prior to the 2015 Presidential Elections according to analysts.
– Reporting By Devendra Francis