Since the launch of the programme in 2002, 63 per cent of farm stores have become compliant
THE PESTICIDES Control Authority is reporting measured success at attempts to register premises which sell restricted pesticides and to licensed pest control operators.
According to information contained in the 2004 Annual Report of the Ministry of Health, during the 2003/04 reporting period, 18 new products were registered and 42 applications were received, 34 of which were re-registered.
According to the data, insecticides represented 44 per cent of re-registrations, herbicides 26 per cent and fungicides 15 per cent.
In the meantime, the number of minor use registrations continued to show a general decline and seven applications for new licences to manufacture pesticides were received.
The report said some 978 applications to import registered pesticides were processed, while 36 premises were registered to sell restricted pesticides.
COMPLIANCE OBSERVED IN PARISHES
Since the launch of the programme in 2002, 63 per cent of farm stores have become compliant with high levels of compliance being observed in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Ann and Hanover.
Meanwhile, 22 commercial pest control operators were certified while 11 training sessions were held at which 197 farmers were certified. Surveillance activities included routine inspection of 174 premises where pesticides were stored or offered for sale.
The Authority, along with the standards and regulations division of the ministry hosted a symposium on the handling and distribution of chemicals. Collaborators included the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry, the Ministries of Labour and Land and Environment and the Bureau of Standards, Jamaica.
