Pesticide usage down during glyphosate ban

The use of pesticides has reduced in Sri Lanka in the past few years due to the ban imposed on glyphosate, Agriculture Minister P. Harrison said.

Speaking at a the World Water Day commemoration recently at the Irrigation Department, Minister Harrison said the annual usage of pesticides in Sri Lanka was around 8,000 MTs before 2015 and as a result of the ban imposed on glyphosate, it has reduced to 5,000 MTs.

The Minister said pesticides are one of the main reasons for water pollution and enter surface and groundwater primarily as run-off from crops, and are most prevalent in agricultural areas.

“The potential for pesticide contamination of water resources can be reduced considerably through the use of traditional pest management practices. But farmers always try to use instant methods to control pests,” he said.