AgroPages-Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives voted to ban Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos-Agricultural news

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A news released on 7 October 2019 from Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives office. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives called a meeting of 4 working groups committee from Department of Agricultural, importers, farmers and consumers in order to discuss the solution of 3 types of pesticides as (1) Paraquat (2) Glyphosate (3) Chlorpyrifos since the import license has been suspended and the registration renewal has not been renewed for the 3 products since June 30, 2019.

The four working group committee has unanimously voted to ban (1) Paraquat (2) Glyphosate (3) Chlorpyrifos. Products containing these active ingredients are not allowed to import, to sale, or to be occupied and possessed, effective from December 1, 2019. The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives says this is new year gift for Thai farmers.

The committee will forward its decision first to Prime Minister and then to the 29 member of National Hazardous Substances Committee (NHSC) which is scheduled to review the issue within 27th October 2019.

So far, the NHSC has only agreed to restrict use until it finds better alternatives despite widespread calls for a total ban from health and consumer advocacy groups.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives said the NHSC would be asked to classify (1) Paraquat (2) Glyphosate (3) Chlorpyrifos as Type 4 from 1st December onward, noting that possession, distribution, importing and production of this category of chemicals is prohibited.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives said they expected the NHSC to bring forward its planned meeting on 27th October 2019 in the wake of her committee's recommendation. Representatives from the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the Public Health Ministry and the Industry Ministry on the NHSC are expected to honor the decision.