News

Farms in the West found using unregistered pesticides

October 11, 2017 5:51 pm

There’s revelations that a number of farms are using unregistered pesticides to control pests on their farms.

This was discovered following a recent field survey conducted by the Agriculture Ministry and the Biosecurity Authority on crop farms in the Western parts of Viti Levu.

Selling or using unregistered pesticides in Fiji is illegal.

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The Fiji Pesticide Act 1971 Section 4 that ‘No pesticide may be used, offered for sale or sold in Fiji unless such pesticide has been registered with the Registrar of Pesticides’.

According to the Fiji Pesticide Act Section 2, Pesticide means ‘any product intended for use or used for controlling a pest, or any adjuvant intended for use or used in connection with any such product’.

Individuals who wish to import pesticides into the country or manufacture pesticides in Fiji must first apply to register the pesticide with the Registrar of Pesticides; the identified unregistered pesticides however are being used in contrary to this.

The Agriculture Ministry strongly advises farmers to refrain from the illegal use of unregistered pesticides as it may be harmful to crops and vegetation.

All applications are reviewed and pesticide samples are field tested.

Approval will be granted once the pesticide is confirmed to be effective against the pest it is intended to control under local conditions.