Thailand’s National Hazardous Substances Committee is ready to ban the use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos on the condition that alternatives to the three herbicides are less hazardous, effective and affordable for the farmers, said committee chairman Mr. Apijin Chotikasathien, who is also deputy permanent secretary of industry, today (Wednesday).

The committee also gave the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives 60 days to find alternative chemicals and to try to build understanding between the state, the importers of the three herbicides, farmers and consumers about the negative impacts of the toxic substances.

Mr. Apijin said that the Agricultural Technique Department has so far maintained that there are no alternatives to the three herbicides which are equally effective, less hazardous and reasonably affordable.

Prior to the committee’s meeting today, members of the Rak Mae Khlong voluntary network offered moral support to the committee in the hope of allowing continued use of the three weed killers.

Credit picture : Line Today