Ecobreves – HONDURAS: Pesticide Eliminated

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

TEGUCIGALPA, Feb 10 2003 (IPS) - – Honduran farmers will halt use of methyl bromide pesticide on fruit crops like melon, watermelon and bananas beginning in April. The agricultural sector in Honduras consumes 686 tons annually of methyl bromide, a gas that depletes the ozone layer and harms human health, according to the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources.

The government has created a plan for the gradual elimination of this chemical to ensure the export of toxin-free fruits and to comply with the rules of the World Trade Organization.

Excessive exposure to methyl bromide affects the respiratory and nervous systems and can cause gastro-intestinal problems. Elimination of the pesticide will begin in southern Honduras, where melon and watermelon crops are concentrated. Farmers will implement organic farming methods.