The application of glyphosate for tea plantations is being reviewed, since pesticide is important for commercial agriculture, Plantations Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake has told a press conference last week.
The Minister said, tea is only second to the apparel and tourism industries in earning foreign exchange and its productivity has drastically dropped due to the non-application of glyphosate over the past two years, the import of which is now banned.
Some people have expressed the opinion that the application of glyphosate has an impact on the kidney disease, he said.
The Minister continued, if however, glyphosate is not applied as a pesticide, tea productivity in the country will drop.
“The application of human labour which is required in large numbers, unlike pesticide, is very difficult; hence the need to use glyphosate. Tea being a commercial crop in the country, thousands of acres come under this cultivation.
The annual productivity loss is around 50 metric tons. Therefore, we have decided to relax the ban of glyphosate on the tea plantations, and allow it to be used in small quantities.” he has said.
Glyphosate is only one factor which has a bearing on the kidney disease.
Beef and mutton too contain glyphosate, despite being consumed by people.
I would like to seek the opinion of the Tea, Rubber and Coconut Research Institutes on whether those engaged in the tea industry too have been infected due to glyphosate.
“It is not that I do not have a love for the country but I cannot permit an industry coming under me to be ruined”, the Minister said.
‘Nuwara Eliya’ is largely a tea plantation district and there are no reports that the people have been infected due to glyphosate, and this necessitates further research whether glyphosate is bad for the human body.
It is my duty as Plantations Minister to save the tea industry and it is time to seek expert opinion in this connection.
The demand for tea is growing and as such it is my bounden duty to protect the industry, the Minister said.