By Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Suriname is risking a total ban of its vegetable exports to the European Union (EU) if farmers continue to violate regulations concerning food safety.

In April, the Suriname authorities on several occasions received so-called ‘rapid alerts’ warning the government over inadmissible amounts of pesticide residues discovered in vegetables imported from Suriname.

At the just-concluded ‘Agro + Made in Suriname’ fair in Paramaribo, agriculture minister Kermechend Ragoebarsing warned farmers that if they continue the illegal practice, stoppage of exports to Europe are inevitable.

According to the minister he received four letters from the EU complaining over residues in four containers of long beans and bitter melon from Suriname, which were “over the acceptable norms”.

“We can’t tolerate this; If this continues we will lose the export market in Europe,” said the official.

To address the situation the authorities will increase communications with farmers and exporters. In an invited comment the minister disclosed that, since among farmers there is a large number of Haitian immigrants, the information campaign will also target this group in their native language.

Meanwhile the government is also preparing a bill regarding the labeling of products, including pesticides. “Labels should be written in a language that our people; farmers and consumers, understand,” said the official.

In an attempt to avoid a ban, the government currently is also working closely with the Inter-American Development Bank and the embassy of the Netherlands to establish laboratories and test facilities to guarantee the food safety of all vegetable and other agriculture produce being exported and for the local market.

“These institutes will watch over the food safety and quality of the products,” claims Raghoebarsing. He warned however that farmers who still violate the regulations will have to bear the consequences, “because we can’t allow that the food safety and public health is being jeopardized.”

Recently the authorities also received disturbing reports of rampant smuggling of banned dangerous pesticides on the border with Guyana. Minister Raghoebarsing disclosed that, together with the Customs Office and the police, the authorities will take steps to end the illegal practice.

“This is a criminal offence and we won’t tolerate that,” he stated.

In April the government imposed a ban on several pesticides to safeguard vegetable exports and promote food safety and health. The ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries released a list containing 15 pesticides, which are being banned and prohibited to use for farming purposes.

These products contain the active ingredients carbofuran, endosulfan and methamidophos which could cause health concerns.

“This decision has been taken after evaluation of the way in which these pesticides are being used and the detrimental impact of these substances on the public health and the environment,” said the ministry.

Raghoebarsing disclosed that shop owners were given a certain period to sell current stocks, but shortly possession and use of the banned products will be treated as a punishable offence.