PARAMARIBO — The Surinamese Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) reports that it faces significant legal and operational constraints in addressing the rejection of Surinamese produce in Europe due to pesticide residues. Romarlisa Bisphan, acting deputy director of Agri Health at the LVV, stated that the ministry lacks the legal authority to independently enforce strict controls, citing the outdated Pesticides Act of 1972. A proposed Pesticides Act has been pending before the National Assembly since 2024, but it has yet to be debated or enacted. Furthermore, the ministry’s residue laboratory, while structurally complete, remains non-operational. Bisphan noted that the facility is expected to be fully functional by the first half of 2027. Bisphan attributed the rejection of exports to a combination of insufficient laboratory capacity and outdated legislation, while also emphasizing the responsibility of farmers to adhere to pesticide usage guidelines. Regarding recent reports of contaminated produce, Bisphan stated that the ministry has not received an official notification from the Netherlands and learned of the issue through media reports. She added that it remains unconfirmed whether the rejected produce—specifically yardlong beans (kouseband) and bitter melon (sopropo)—originated in Suriname, as similar products are exported to the Netherlands from other countries. Reports indicated that the yardlong beans contained traces of the fungicide carbendazim, while the bitter melon showed high levels of the insecticide acetamiprid. The ministry has initiated an investigation and is in contact with relevant authorities to clarify the situation. Under current procedures, the LVV issues phytosanitary certificates based on plant health inspections before products are exported; however, these goods undergo further testing upon arrival in the Netherlands. In response to the broader issue of pesticide management, the LVV has conducted inspections of pesticide retailers, identifying various illegal and expired products. Because the LVV lacks the authority to seize such goods, it has coordinated with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation (EZ) to confiscate the items. To improve oversight, the ministry is currently drafting a residue decree and developing a “trace-back” system to identify the origins of contaminated products. While the LVV has provided training to farmers and agricultural cooperatives, Bisphan stated that a new public awareness campaign is being planned to educate the community on the safe and responsible use of pesticides.
Article source: De Ware Tijd | Image credit: De Ware Tijd